NJSBDC at Kean University Honors Berkeley Heights Business Owners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 20, 2016

Union, N.J. - The New Jersey Small Business Development Corporation’s (NJSBDC) 14th Annual Small Business Growth Awards luncheon recognized sixteen small business owners from diverse industries at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township on Friday, on December 9. At the event, The NJSBDC at Kean University honored Berkeley Heights residents Nicole and Tom Mauriello, second-generation entrepreneurs who operate three successful small businesses.

Nicole Mauriello owns and operates Sancoche Soups, a gourmet soup company dedicated to offering global flavors locally. Sancoche’s soups are made using fresh locally sourced ingredients and are delivered to the home. The company derives its named from a hearty stew of root vegetables, salted pork and split peas popular in the island nation of Trinidad, Nicole’s native land.

Sancoche recently launched a cooking camp designed to teach children ages 9 – 12 the basics of French cooking including: knife skills, sautéing, braising, browning, blanching, boiling, simmering and sauce preparation. Drawing on her fine arts degree in graphic design, Nicole also creates unique branded promotional items for corporate clients through a second company, Business Boosters. 

When she was looking to expand her businesses, Nicole turned to the NJSBDC at Kean University. In 2016 alone, the SBDC at Kean University counseled over 200 clients and helped Union County small business owners secure over $3.5 million in financing.

“David Margulies and the Kean University SBDC team have helped me see much further down the road and gain an understanding of what each of my businesses has to offer in the marketplace and how I should best organize my time and resources to ensure I stay on the path to success,” said Nicole.

Nicole’s husband Tom Mauriello owns and operates ThinkScreen, LLC, a digital web development and branding agency. ThinkScreen produces fully functional web applications for businesses and consumer audiences. Tom credits his success to the continuous exploration of new technologies and his team’s ability to understand their client’s need and then create high quality cost effective solutions.

“I have known about the SBDC for some time, but never knew the value the SBDC relationship was going to be able to return to my business. If I had, I certainly would have opened these doors a lot sooner,” said Tom.

The NJSBDC includes 12 full-service regional centers and 29 satellite offices and is committed to guiding established small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in creating and expanding their business enterprises. The NJSBDC at Kean is located in Willis Hall, on the University’s Union campus, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union.  Visit www.kean.edu/sbdc to learn more. 

ABOUT KEAN UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1855, Kean University has become one of the largest metropolitan institutions of higher education in the region, boasting a richly diverse student, faculty and staff population. Kean continues to play a key role in the training of teachers and is a hub of educational, technological and cultural enrichment serving nearly 15,000 students. The Nathan Weiss Graduate College offers three doctorate degree programs and more than 60 options for graduate study leading to master’s degrees, professional diplomas or certifications. The University’s six undergraduate colleges offer 50 undergraduate degrees over a full range of academic subjects. With campuses in Union and Toms River, NJ, and Wenzhou, China, Kean University provides a world-class education. Visit Kean online at www.kean.edu. 

Danielle Ford
daniford@kean.edu
(908) 737-0588