“I met with business counselor Mr. Yehuda Berg 4 or 5 times, and each time, he introduced me to things I had never known before. I learned basic business concepts, and I learned about the different small-business resources that we’re available to me. Without these lessons, my business would not be where it is today.”

“I came to CHYE after reading about one of their workshops online. I knew that I had the skills to successfully run my business, but I didn't yet have the strategy to help it grow and thrive as a long-term business. I sat down with Mr. Yehudah Berg and Mr. Gedaliah Robinson and found their advice incredibly helpful. They helped me work on branding and building a business strategy for my venture. Most importantly, they put me in the right frame of mind, literally re-framing my point of reference and thus giving me a vision far greater in scope.”

“I first heard about CHYE on Facebook. As soon as I began working on Zlata's Wigs, I knew CHYE would be the ideal place to turn for help. From the second I called, Rabbi Werde, Mr. Yehuda Berg and others have been incredibly gracious. Mr. Berg had such a wealth of knowledge to offer us, in terms of a business plan, a lease and incorporating as an LLC. CHYE is truly an incredible resource for our community.”

“When we first had the idea to open our business, we were advised to meet with CHYE as our first step. We were so impressed with all of the help they offered. We met with Mr. Yehuda Berg. Our first meeting assured us that CHYE would be right there offering support, guidance, financial advice and valuable introductions. The team of people they initially set us up with has led to us meeting and working with others who have become an integral part of our business.”

“Maybe the most valuable resource though was my meeting with fellow entrepreneur Shmuli Goldman. His advice was timeless and every minute of our meeting was so beneficial for my business. He helped me to better formulate my vision and to start looking further down the road of what I wanted for myself and the company. He helped me see things from a marketing perspective and really seemed to understand my struggle. His advice has helped me get 4 new clients so far and I only met with him 3 weeks ago!”

“At one CHYE event for local retailers, we met New York City officials who discussed rules, regulations, and other issues affecting storefronts. Another CHYE program we enjoyed was a meetup where entrepreneurs were able to speak with experts in the field of their choice. We gained a lot of information from sitting one-on-one with someone who had ‘been there’. CHYE has made a tremendous difference in establishing our business and has nurtured our ongoing success.”

“We needed an infusion of capital and through the grapevine, we heard that CHYE could give us guidance on how to get funding. CHYE had recently taught a course on how to prepare a business plan and apply for a business loan, so that’s what we did. Our advisor gave us two sample business plans that were specifically focused on the food industry, which was key. One of the samples was a 40-page instructional guide on how to prepare a business plan for the food industry, which was amazing. Within two months, JJ’s Holy Cow had obtained a business loan from the Hebrew Free Loan Society, and with that, we were able to buy our first truck and open for business.”

I couldn’t find a publisher who believed in my vision as I did. I was faced with a dilemma: Do I give up on my dream, or do I take it all on myself? I chose the latter. I quit my teaching job, and I devoted myself full time to writing and publishing my own books. I opened my own publishing company, KDI—Kids Discover Israel. I hired designers, illustrators, printers, marketers and distributors, and I began work on getting the word out about my series.

“Anyone who rides the subway here in NY will have been inundated with the range of food service companies that sprouted over the past few years. Seamless, GrubHub, Delivery.com—they’ve totally changed the way the restaurant industry interacts with consumers. I thought to myself, it’s time we had a Kosher version for the Jewish consumer."

“Shmuli guided us through every step of restructuring our business—from marketing and customer service to design, manufacturing and internet sales. He helped us put systems in place to manage continued growth, while keeping operating costs down at the same time. I can’t stress enough how helpful and caring Shmuli was. Our initial meeting was supposed to last only an hour, but Shmuli–despite his son having gotten engaged just the day before!–sat with us for over three hours, giving expert insight into every aspect of our business.”