Small Business Community Kicks Off Holiday Season at Aprés Ski Mixer

By Michael Anderson, Content Development Specialist

On Tuesday, November 30, nearly 100 members of the Staten Island small business community joined the Chamber at A Taste of Honey Caterers to kick off the holiday season. The Aprés (After) Ski Holiday Party - this year’s Chamber holiday mixer - offered a night of mixing and networking in a light and festive atmosphere.

Amazon served as a signature sponsor, and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was the partner sponsor for the event, which served as an excellent way for business professionals in different fields to meet or reconnect in a casual setting.

Attendees were able to sample delicious food from A Taste of Honey Caterers, including passed hors d'oeuvres, several soups, a slider station, and a s’mores bar, in the hybrid indoor/outdoor setting adorned in a holiday theme. Also, a cigar and whiskey station – provided by PRcision – attracted a solid crowd from the partygoers. Local musician Rob Kipp provided the soundtrack to the event, performing a diverse mix of holiday music from his piano.

Buoyed from sponsorships from United Activities Unlimited and Angiuli & Gentile, LLP, the Aprés (After) Ski Holiday Party also featured raffles containing gift cards from Chamber members and a 50-50 raffle. Since ski attire was suggested to coincide with the night’s theme, a prize was awarded for best dressed. Allan Feldman of Explore Your World, decked out in head-to-toe ski attire, took home the prize.

Linda Baran, President and CEO at the Chamber, spoke briefly and reminded attendees about the Chamber’s affiliation with the NYC Small Business Resource Network to help small business owners gain access to a range of programs and services. The program offers a host of free programs, including NYC Small Biz: Open + Online, which provides free, quality websites (including e-commerce) for small businesses. 

She also encouraged members to create their free storefronts on the Chamber’s e-commerce platform – Shop Staten Island – and thanked Amazon for sponsoring Small Business Holiday Express, which provides free delivery services for businesses listed on Shop Staten Island until the end of the year.