From cafes and restaurants to boutiques to online ventures, many towns in New Jersey are powered by the hard work and creativity of small businesses. On Thursday, October 24th from 10AM to 4PM, Montclair State University will host the New Jersey Small Business Summit for 2024. This event will take place at the Conference Center in University Hall. Attendees can look forward to a day of networking, informative sessions, and panel discussions featuring various successful business entrepreneurs, including Craig Dubitsky, founder + CEO of HappyTM Products, our very own Jennifer Tripucka, founder of The Local Girl Media Group, and more. Read on to learn more about the New Jersey Small Business Summit happening this week, hosted by Montclair State University.
The Details
The Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Montclair’s Feliciano School of Business, located at 1 Normal Avenue, is partnering with 10 other New Jersey-based universities to host its Small Business Summit, an event dedicated to networking and learning for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
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The goal of this event is to “create a powerful day of celebration, learning, and connection for our small business community—the true driving force behind New Jersey’s economy,” Liz Rich, co-director of the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation said in a press release.
Attendees can expect to hear from various businesses, panelists, and high-profile guest speakers, including HappyTM Products’ Co-founder + CEO Craig Dubitsky; Culina Health Co-founder + CEO Vanessa Rissetto; Shark Tank Season 14 contestant and Nopalera founder Sandra Velasquez; and Jennifer Tripucka, founder of The Local Girl Media Group.
In addition, this event will feature various informative sessions. The first session is “AI Trends For Small Businesses,” moderated by Mukesh Patel and featuring speakers James Barrood and Sandeep Bhanotewill. This session will teach small business owners the power and benefits of artificial intelligence. Attendees can expect to learn more about how AI can improve efficiency, decision-making, and customer engagement.
The next session, “Scaling Up: Women Entrepreneurs Turning Ideas into Profits,” will include panels from Hettle Patel, The Moxie Twins, Patty Caballero, and Sandra Valasquez. During this session, these speakers will discuss how they turned their initial ideas into successful business ventures.
The session “From Bootstraps to Backers: The Different Paths to Success,” will feature discussions from Vanessa Rissetto and Jennifer Tripucka, and will explore the various funding journeys entrepreneurs take to establish their businesses.
At the final session, “Doing Business with the NJ Government,” attendees can expect to hear from Candice Alfonso, Kelly Brozyna, Jermaine Pharmes, Luis De La Hoz, and Stan Prater. This session will educate business owners and entrepreneurs on engaging with the New Jersey government, including navigating contracts and partnerships.
To attend this event, attendees must purchase a $25 or $15 ticket. The $25 ticket includes lunch, whereas the $15 ticket does not. Attendees can purchase tickets here.
Event Schedule
- 10AM-10:30AM: Doors Open for Networking + Industry Meetups
- 10:30AM-10:45AM: A welcome from Montclair State University President, Johnathan Koppell
- 10:55AM-11:40AM: AI Trends for Small Businesses
- 11:45AM-12:30PM: Scaling Up: Women Entrepreneurs Turning Ideas into Profits
- 12:30PM-1PM: Lunch
- 1PM-1:30PM: From Bootstraps to Backers: The Different Paths to Success
- 1:35PM-2:25PM: Doing Business with the NJ Government
- 2:25PM-3:10PM: Happy Experiences, Happy Customers: a Fireside Chat with Craig Dubitsky
- 3:15PM-4PM: The Power of Community in Small Business (panelists TBD)
- 4PM-5PM: Networking + Afterparty
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Le Salbuen in Montclair Has Closed, Signage Up for ‘Chef Chen’s’
Walnut Street in Montclair has lost a local favorite. The Montclair Girl recently found out that Le Salbuen, located at 97 Walnut Street in Montclair, has officially closed after noticing signage for a new spot in the space. Not much is know at this time about the new place, but it looks to be called "Chef Chen's." Le Salbuen was a Montclair staple for over 10 years for European-inspired, farm-to-table eats. Read on for what we will miss about Le Salbuen, as well as what we know so far about the new spot taking its place in Montclair, New Jersey.
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Le Salbuen's Closure
MG first received a tip about Le Salbuen's closure on the morning of Thursday, March 13th, 2025. One of our readers said they walked by Le Salbuen to find that it had abruptly closed, and new signage was up in the space for what looked to be a new sushi spot (more on that below).
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Google still lists Le Salbuen as open, but Mapquest lists the restaurant as closed. It is also currently unavailable to order on Doordash. The Montclair Girl has reached out to Le Salbuen and this post will be updated with any further comments.
About Le Salbuen
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Le Salbuen first opened at 97 Walnut Street in Montclair in 2012, serving up an array of global-inspired, organic, gluten-free, local farm-to-table meat and vegan dishes. The restaurant was run by owners Chef John and Christina Salierno.
Open for breakfast, lunch, Sunday brunch, and dinner, the menu was full of seasonal dishes using local and organic produce, meats, dairy products, and artisanal goods using ingredients from local farmers that they know and trust. Some of the menu options included grass-fed organic braised short rib, vegan pasta dujour, raw organic carrot salad, and much more.
What Taking Its Place?
Details are slim as of this writing, but a member of the MG team also noticed paper up in the windows as well as signage for "Chef Chen's" in the former Le Salbuen space on Thursday, March 13th after we received a tip from a reader.
There is a now-closed Chef Chen's that used to be located in Warren, New Jersey, but it is unconfirmed if the two restaurants are related. This piece will be updated with any further information as we receive it.
See More: Jersey City’s Arts + Powerhouse Building: New Businesses Coming Soon
To stay up to date on the latest Montclair + Northern New Jersey news, follow @themontclairgirl on Instagram and TikTok, sign up for our newsletter that shares the top stories in your inbox here, and check out our events calendar.
