The Bizwood Podcast

048: Ramon Hache - Bergen County Commissioner

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.

047: Jay Daly - GM, Garden State Plaza

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!

046: Daniela Musano - Owner, Araya Rebirth

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!

045: Chris Kaplanis - Managing Director, RTA Triathlon

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.

044: Ernie Lamour - CEO, Ridgewood YMCA

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!