Logo with Buy Camden 1st displayed with icons of a fork and knife, hard hat and wrench and open signCamden, NJ – On Wednesday, October 23, civic and business leaders from around the southern New Jersey region gathered to celebrate continued progress in the City of Camden  and highlight the many successful programs, projects and policies making a positive impact on local residents and businesses at Camden Community Partnership’s 2024 Annual Meeting.

Mayor Carstarphen spoke on the various initiatives that the City of Camden and its partners have put in motion to continue to contribute to Camden’s growth and progress, including the unveiling an innovative new programs Buy Camden 1st in partnership with LAEDA, a leading a leading nonprofit community economic development organization based in Camden that is focused on businesses and individuals who face barriers to starting, securing capital and operating small businesses.

Are you a small business that wants to sell goods or services to large corporations, healthcare institutions, and universities in Camden? Or, are you a company that wants to do business with Camden-based small and/or minority-owned businesses?

Either way, you should join in the City’s BuyCamden1st movement! The movement’s centerpiece is the BuyCamden1st.com website, home to a comprehensive, searchable Business Directory of the City’s small businesses, including those that have achieved Camden Verified status. The Business Directory is designed to make it easy for large corporations, healthcare institutions, universities, employees, fellow small businesspeople, and residents to find Camden-based businesses from which they can purchase goods and services.

Get listed in the Business Directory by completing the Business Inclusion Form at www.BuyCamden1st.com/get-listed/, complete and submit it. It’s as easy as that!

S T A Y T U N E D . . .

Businesses that have completed the Camden Verified process led by LAEDA can level up their listing. The Camden Verified seal sets apart those businesses that have undergone rigorous vetting, ensuring they are ready and able to meet the needs of corporations, institutions and universities in the City. Visit BuyCamden1st.com/camden-verified/  to get more information on Camden Verified and complete the application. LAEDA will help with the rest!

BuyCamden1st.com will also include helpful, up-to-date information and business-building resources that can help you grow your business, including access to the expertise and assistance of LAEDA to achieve Camden Verified status, purchasing and procurement opportunities, news updates, and more!

Camden, NJ – Over the course of 8 weeks, 20 students gathered online and offline to participate in LAEDA’s second ever Food Trucking 101 course. This dedicated program is aimed at budding foodpreneurs who are thinking of or who are already operating a food truck. The course covered general topics such as business plan writing, marketing, and bookkeeping alongside specific technical topics such as setting a menu, food production, food trucking laws and regulations. The curriculum provided a roadmap on how to navigate the start-up phase including costs, legal requirements, and best practices for aspiring operators.

Week in and week out, students tuned in to the online courses, not only to learn from our professional instructors in their respective fields, but also to share experiences and anecdotes, facilitating a lively and welcoming online classroom environment. Our instructors, both internal and external, were blown away by the enthusiasm, passion, and professionalism shown by this particular cohort of students. 

Rather than saying that every week’s class was a highlight (which they all WERE), we could pinpoint one week as being the absolute  highlight of the entire 8 weeks. On April 16th, the only day of the program that was in-person, LAEDA alumni Davit Martinez, of Gita’s Mobile Coffee (https://www.gitasmobilecafe.com), graciously brought his food truck to the LAEDA offices for all the participants to walk through and ask questions (pictured below). Not only that, Davit and his son treated all the students to their specialty chicken & rice and empanadas.

Aside from this one in-person session, every virtual session was also full of joy, engagement, and learning. LAEDA programs like this one not only provide technical knowledge and content, but also serve as a space to build personal relationships. On the journey of entrepreneurship, many challenges will arise, and during those hardships, having a support system is critical. At times of difficulty, they are able to lean on each other. During times of complacency, they can motivate each other. During times of exhaustion, they can encourage each other. This food trucking cohort took this point to heart and formed very close relationships that will last for years to come, whether they choose to continue on the path of food trucking or diverge into some other industry.  

If you are looking to join a cohort of like minded entrepreneurs, visit LAEDA’s training page to learn more and get a detailed description of programs and services that can help you move closer to your business development goals. 

Camden, NJ – On Thursday, June 20th, 10 talented individuals gathered in-person at the LAEDA office building on the corner of 5th and Market street to attend the summer session of Introduction to Entrepreneurship. The jam packed seminar covers the attitudes and mindsets an entrepreneur needs, the obstacles an entrepreneur encounters, and how LAEDA can assist every entrepreneur along every step of the entrepreneurial journey. In the history of this seminar (circa January 2024), there have only been one offline session because of timing and scheduling difficulties. However, due to recent client feedback and community surveys, starting this summer, we will be mostly using an in person format for this seminar.

Sure, the pandemic has forced us all to become more accustomed to online communications – for work or school. And sure, virtual communications of course has its benefits. However, due to the nature of the Introduction to Entrepreneurship seminar, our clients are able to benefit much more from face-to-face interaction. In this one seminar, a major part of the discussion is centered around the challenges that entrepreneurs will face, the difficulties that they will overcome, and the sacrifice that they will make. It is very much an intimate conversation, and as such, it needs a more human touch. This evening, aspiring and early stage entrepreneurs from industries such as food, retail, and wellness came together to share their thoughts, experiences, and anecdotes about starting a business. Together, we explored the journey of entrepreneurship, discussed the personality traits that lend themselves to success, and the many personal roadblocks that we will encounter.

Through the entrepreneurial personality assessment, the attendees were able to get a clearer understanding of all the personal characteristics that are tantamount to success in any business. By talking about their business ideas (conceptual or operational), the students were able to have a better grasp of the feasibility of their concepts. The final part of the evening was dedicated to ourselves, to LAEDA. Everyone in attendance received a step-by-step guide of what LAEDA offers, and how everyone can take advantage of it. The night concluded with an explanation of the next steps with LAEDA for each person, and everyone left with an assignment in mind to establish a SMART goal for their existing or future business.

Tashelle Ball is the owner and operator of Specialized Quality Care LLC, which provides individualized supportive services to individuals with Developmental Disabilities. We had a chance to sit down with her to ask about her experience with entrepreneurship and LAEDA’s training program.

(1) LAEDA: Entrepreneurship is a very challenging path to take with many different possible directions. What made you decide to become an entrepreneur?
Growing up, I never imagined becoming a business owner was obtainable for me. Little did I know it was closer than I had expected. As a child, my curiosity always led me to wonder who owned all the buildings and businesses that we as consumers would spend our funds in exchange for these products and services.
Throughout my life, education and climbing the corporate ladder was something that was ingrained in me from my surroundings and society. Therefore, I did it.  I graduated from college and began the career journey. After a decade of being a dedicated employee, the journey ended. That was it. What happens now? Quitting was never an option so the journey continued in the same field.  During the process, a fire ignited in me and I realized I was one-step away from creating the freedom I was looking for. Freedom with my lifestyle, finances and most importantly my time. A passion was fueled in me to create a positive work environment for others who enjoyed helping families and making an impact in the community. Therefore, I ultimately took a leap of faith and began the process towards the journey of entrepreneurship.
(2) LAEDA: Why did you choose your industry?
The human services field has always been my passion. During my career path, program operations became my expertise. An opportunity presented itself for me to begin learning about individuals with Autism, Developmental Disabilities and other special needs and from there I began to learn about regulations, licensure and the fundamentals of overseeing the division. My industry found me and with my prior experience, I knew this was something I was great at and something I enjoyed.
(3) LAEDA: Tell me about your experience while attending EDTP. What have the major takeaways been from the program? Have you had any “Ah-ha!” moments? How did the program help you?
The Entrepreneurial Development Training Program came along at a pivotal time in my business journey. The program has helped me take a better dive into the areas of business that I may not be as familiar with. There is always something to learn and improve no matter how knowledgeable you are. It helped me understand the importance of building relationships and collaborating with like-minded business owners. I really enjoyed the collaboration and fellowship with my cohorts and facilitators in passing. That was an “Ah-ha” moment” for me. I realized this entrepreneurial journey does not have to be done alone. No one can do everything! There is strength in collaborations, networking and sharing resources. I am so grateful for the EDTP program and the team members that helps us business owners navigate our way on a day-to-day basis.
(4) LAEDA: Tell me about your journey on the road to business start-up. What have been some of the challenges, successes, failures, etc.?
Being involved in the community was something I have always been passionate about; I used to dream about owning my own non-profit/for-profit and providing exceptional services to those in need in the surrounding counties. One day with my dedication, experiences, passion and hard work it finally happened. While the journey has been amazing, there have been many challenges like any other business.
Specialized Quality Care was founded in the midst of a global pandemic. Our services are primarily driven on community-based support. With restrictions with human interaction, it was very challenging to obtain clients and employees to support those teams. Like any journey, you learn to navigate your way through the obstacles until the obstacles become a strength.
(5) LAEDA: Could you tell me a little about where your business is today?
Today, Specialized Quality Care continues to grow and thrive. Over the last few years, we have provided supportive services to numerous participants and families. This has helped us employ and create a positive work environment for many exceptional team members. Our service type continues to improve and grow with each passing year and we are thankful for the many opportunities to expand within Southern New Jersey.
(6) LAEDA: Do you have any advice for future (or existing) entrepreneurs?
My advice to future (or existing) entrepreneurs is to Stay Consistent and Keep Going!  The entrepreneurial journey has its challenges and rewards! To be very transparent, there may be times when you think of giving up. Keep going! Connect with other business owners and agencies like LAEDA who can support you. Be open to new directions and services to keep your business innovative. Change is good! Allow your business to have flexibility to adapt to the needs of the consumers.
More about Specialized Quality Care LLC: 
Specialized Quality Care provides individualized supportive services to individuals with Developmental Disabilities. We equip participants with the tools to navigate through their day–to-day lives. We are an Approved Service Provider through the New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities. Our service areas include Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean County.
Specialized Quality Care LLC ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING PARTICIPANTS!
Feel free to reach out to a member of our team. For additional information, please email us at info@yourqualitycare.org or contact us directly at (856) 521-3033. A member of our team will respond right away. You may visit our website at https://www.sqcare.org/.
Where Tashelle Ball can be reached: 
Business: Specialized Quality Care
Address: 811 Church Road Cherry Hill NJ 08002 (by appointment only)
Phone: (856) 521-3033
Follow Specialized Quality Care on social media for each platform:
POC: Tashelle Ball
Direct Email: tball@yourqualitycare.org
About the Entrepreneurial Development Training Program (EDTP):
The Entrepreneurial Development Training Program (EDTP) is a free, nine-week business skills training course offered in Camden, NJ in the Spring and Fall each year. Qualified entrepreneurs receive 72+ hours of training from industry professionals, business planning, and continued technical assistance. Apply online at www.LAEDA.com.

The Entrepreneurial Development Training Program (EDTP) is implemented in 1990 in response to the need to provide alternate routes to employment to residents through business ownership.  EDTP becomes the cornerstone of LAEDA’s business education programs.  EDTP is responsible for the creation of hundreds of businesses, the creation of thousands of jobs and the transformation of untold lives.