Ramon Hache was the previous mayor of Ridgewood and is now a Bergen County Commissioner. His career started in the financial sector before he reassessed his entire life and dedicated himself to service, first as a volunteer in his church and youth sports.

Ramon talks to me about why he decided to get involved with local politics, how he won his first election as an unknown outsider, and why he moved up from the village job to the county one.

We discuss the different priorities of business owners versus local residents, how those differences play out when it comes to voting and local decisions—and the current debates over hot-button issues like the municipal parking garage.

Jay Daly is the General Manager of Garden State Plaza—the biggest (depending on who you ask) mall in New Jersey and one of the biggest in the Northeast. The enormous facility includes nearly 300 stores, sprawls well over 2 million square feet, and has many more acres of property beyond the buildings themselves.

The mall is undergoing its own transformation, like converting the old JCPenney store into 15 smaller units. And creating a brand new mixed-use development on the location. Management is also adding more experiential options for people, including entertainment and dining. While the retail shops are closed on Sundays because of Bergen County’s “Blue Laws,” the entertainment and dining options can stay open, bringing foot traffic to the mall. Jay is dealing with all of that. 

We talk about the counterintuitive trend of online stores now creating an influx of brick-and-mortar retail locations into the mall’s physical space. He hints at the types of stores he’d love to see at the mall. Jay also breaks down the typical revenue model of a store’s lease and talks about the intricacies of accounting for certain types of sales. Consider an online sale that offers in-store pickup; should the retailer pay a percentage of that sale on their lease agreement to the mall?

We also learn about his career: moving from the restaurant industry to property management. And of course, we can’t forget...the difficulties of parking, the pandemic, and even the recent flood!

Daniela started her business at just 23 years old. And to be a successful entrepreneur, she says, you have to be OBSESSED. She learned from her father about attention to detail, risk-taking, and work ethic. How did she come up with the name Araya? With an assist from a clairvoyant! As for how she ended up in this downtown Ridgewood location, it was by chance, at the very last second, despite the landlord already having a deal to lease the space to somebody else.

What motivates Daniela is that she loves her clients, loves her employees, and relishes being positive and smiling. It’s hard to find good workers, she acknowledges. A high level of professionalism is key. Too many Ridgewood businesses think that they’ll succeed simply by opening up shop, yet they skip over the basics. 

Daniela once tried to sell her business. And she says she’s still open to selling--as long as she can still work there as an employee!

Chris Kaplanis shares his story of being a kid with an entrepreneurial bent to someone who would later leave his job at GE Capital to become a full-time triathlon coach--alongside his wife, Elizabeth. The Ridgewood couple are quite possibly America’s only full-time, husband-and-wife triathlon coaching duo.

Chris shares the business model of their organization, how they grew the business from nothing, and how Covid has affected them over the past two years. He talks about how long it takes to prepare for a triathlon, their pricing model, and some of the business mistakes they/ve made in the past. He also explains why triathlons have become so popular, and how much of the coaching is physical, versus mental or emotional.

Ernie Lamour has been the CEO of the Ridgewood YMCA for about 5 years. He was originally born in Haiti and moved to Stamford, Connecticut as an 8 year old. He was the youngest of six kids! His dad said he could only go to three places: school, church... and the YMCA.

Ernie shares his journey from the housing projects to college...to the JCC...to the Stamford YMCA, to becoming its CEO...to eventually getting the Ridgewood YMCA job. Ernie never specifically planned to come to Ridgewood, but he talks about how a mentor’s advice helped shape his journey.

Ernie describes the changes he’s made here, his management style handling such a big staff, and how he balances family versus work time. Ernie has an abundance of positive energy!

This week I sit down with Valley Bank CEO, Ira Robbins. Valley has branches all over New Jersey, New York, and other states--including right here in Ridgewood. Ira has spent his entire career working at Valley.

He talks about the importance of culture, stakeholders and doing the right things. Ira shares with me how he balances his home and work life, including letting his kids hang out at the office before hockey practice down the street.

We also talk about the company’s recent pivots, like expanding into Florida and moving to a more hybrid work environment. And how Valley outperformed during the PPP rollout last year. Ira also shares his thoughts on current tax and interest rate policy, and what New Jersey’s leaders should be doing to actually improve the state’s economic direction. Hint: it’s not higher taxes.

Jim Parks is one of the nicest people you’ll meet. His big smile and patient approach make him an ideal fit for serving clients during periods of extreme market volatility. Jim is a wealth manager, based right here in downtown Ridgewood. He tells me how he got into this industry out of college, and how he leapt from employee to owner. 

Managing somebody’s wealth is a tricky game, as the ups and downs of money can bring out people’s raw emotions. Jim has to strike that balance of building trust during both the good times and the bad. He tells me about difficult client situations, his approach to growing the business, and how he customizes unique solutions for each client.

We also talk about the pricing model for a wealth manager, especially given the rapid increase of online DIY trading platforms. Jim explains how his approach is different from competitors, and even when he’s had to fire clients!

Ridgewood resident Eric Fluet somehow transformed a long career in the amusement park industry into his own marketing firm, focusing on...you guessed it...amusement parks.

He gets the luxury of working right in a small office in Ridgewood itself, and has the fun of helping out various amusement parks around the country. His model is to do freelance marketing, for firms that need a CMO-level person, but only for specific projects or certain other special needs. Eric talks about how Covid derailed what would have been a huge 2020 for him, the lessons learned in figuring out the right pricing structures, how he finds new business, and how he’s learned to manage working on several clients at once.

Eric talks about his career starting as a young ride operator making a couple bucks an hour, how and why prices for big amusement parks have skyrocketed, and the different jobs he’s had across the country. He also shares some hidden gem locations that can be done as a day trip from Ridgewood.