If you feel that you should be on this list, feel free to add a comment to this blog post.

As I finally took Hot Web Ideas, Inc. full time in 2009, I started doing more business networking and realized how valuable of a marketing tool it really is. I have made so many friends and business relationships at some of the hottest business networking meetings on the island.

During late 2008 and all throughout 2009, I have encountered many people this year who just give and give and give and want nothing in return. They often sport the phrase “it is all about you and not at all about me”. Compared to some of the other famous people in the Long Island business networking community, these people do not charge money to help promote you. There are so many famous people in the Long Island business networking world, but most of them will not promote you unless you pay them some fee, usually in the $300 to $700 range for an ad on their web site. Once you pay those people, then they give and give and give, but again, only after you pay them money.

The terms “givers” and “takers” are the latest buzz words in business. A giver is someone who like the people below, just promote you and your business and want nothing in return. A taker is someone who will do nothing for you until you pay them or compensate them in some other way. I think there is a 3rd term called “receiver”, which is similar to a “taker”, but becoming a receiver is an amazing accomplishment, because this happens only after you become a giver in someone’s eyes. Becoming a receiver is automatic and the next stage from a giver.

For example, I consider myself a giver as I offer free marketing via video podcasts to local business people, free seminars (yes some of them are paid, but most of them are not), and have created several free web sites including the Long Island Blog Directory, the Long Island Podcast Network, and the Long Island Social Media Business Directory. However, there are just so many more people out there who give a lot more.

The reason I consider myself a giver is because I never ask for money for these web sites. We will be offering upgraded memberships on the Long Island Social Media Business Directory in 2010 to help you get more connections on Facebook and Linked In, but basic membership will ALWAYS be free, unlike some of the popular business advertising web sites on Long Island where a basic listing costs money.

There are so many givers out there in Long Island, but it is hard to name them all in this blog post. Maybe I have not met them yet which is why they are not listed here, but trust me, when I meet you at business networking meetings, I will be glad to list you here:

Here are 2009’s biggest givers in the Long Island business community: If you feel that you should be on this list, feel free to add a comment.

Yvonne Bisk:


Yvonne Bisk has taken on not one, but three networking groups and consolidates them into her biweekly business networking meetings. Comprising over 500 business owners in her mailing list, Yvonne’s tireless efforts to hold business networking meetings, blog an average of over 7 posts per week, and attend others’ business networking events is amazing. Yvonne does all of these while attending to children at a local day care center as her day job. You can find out more about Yvonne’s events on her Meetup.com site at http://www.meetup.com/longislandentrepreneurs/

Michele Michael:


I met Michele earlier this year at one of the many business networking events on the island and initially we did not connect. It was a month later when I got involved with the Giving Back Long Island web site at http://www.givingbackli.org and I found out that Michele was the PR coordinator. Michele and I immediately hit it off and 2 months later, she told me that she was forming the Long Island Business Force with Rick Cashman. The Long Island Business Force currently being designed by yours truly is another networking group that meets in West Babylon every Thursday morning and I made many contacts there as well. Michele’s tireless efforts did not stop there. Now, she has networking group that meets the 3rd Wesneday at the Farmingdale Panera. Also a member of the Melville Chamber of Commerce promoting the Young Professionals events.

Do you think Michele does all this for living? Not at all! She does all this for free in addition to having 2 businesses: It’s a Sign and her commercial real estate business.

John Ciampa:


For those of you who do not know John Ciampa, knowing this man is a real treat for those business people who want to excel in blogging and social media. John created Bloggers School, a company helping small businesses AND large corporations learn how to market themselves through blogging.

With this partner Carolina Federico, Bloggers School holds social media events at the Roger Smith Hotel, classes, and keeps people informed with the cutting edge technologies of Social Media. John, you go Boy!

Rich Kruse:


Rich Kruse of Execuleaders has been involved with many corporations and has promoted many small businesses with Execuleaders.

Rich has been involved with local politicians and was a big player in the marketing of the New York Islanders.

Knowing Rich Kruse was a pleasure and an association with this amazing man is a great asset to anyone’s business.

Adrian Miller:


Adrian Miller became one of my most valuable friends and clients in the Long Island business community because of her amazing talent of creating synergy between companies who do not know each other at all. Adrian runs Adrian’s Virtual Network. Besides being a fantastic sales training consultant, Adrian holds phone conferences with businesses and people can attend simply by dialing a simple phone number and listening, but her events also feature guest speakers.

Knowing Adrian Miller, I have already acquired 3 clients and 2 leads, including an improved version of Adrian’s web site AdrianMiller.com which I performed search engine optimization for.

Erica Prince:


Erica Prince is owner of the Professional Speakers Bureau and has found a unique niche in creating speaking engagements for public speakers to educate attendees at a venues across the country. With financial planners as Erica’s main target market, Erica will create speaking engagements for professionals from any field and she has over 100 venues waiting for quality speakers to come in and educate their employees or members.

Erica creates opportunities for speakers to grow their business through speaking engagements. She works with health professionals, lawyers, accountants, people in the financial industry, entrepreneurs, consultants who use her service, which is unique. Her concentration is the Long Island/Queens/Manhattan areas. With lots of contacts with different venues she is able to open doors and opportunities for speakers to make their presentations. She works with hundreds of groups that need speakers and has filled a need in that niche market through creatively marketing her topics and speakers. She is the consummate deal-maker and matchmaker.

In early 2010, Erica will be holding a series of webinars called the “Public Speaking: The Gold Card of Marketing”. Erica has been featured on WCBS, 880AM with Joe Connollly, Small Business Consultant.

I encourage people to attend Erica’s business networking events and for those of you who have not yet attended one, let me know and I will send you information on the next event, which will be on January 11, 2010.

Donna Drake:


Donna Drake of Live It Up TV is an amazing entrepreneur and a great promoter of businesses. A native of the mid west, Donna came to Long Island and was immediately successful with a flourising online TV show, a member of several podcasts, and the host of the 2009 Long Island Way Breakfast of Champions. Donna works with some of the coolest companies including the Melting Pot in Farmingdale performing their marketing strategies.

Debi Pisano:


A regular fulltimer at Island Group Plans in Bohemia, Debi was a huge asset to the Long Island Way’s 2009 Breakfast of Champions, but also remains a huge asset to the Long Island business community attending many business networking events. Debi also remains an active member of the Melville Chamber of Commerce. I consider Debi a true business networker.