- [Narrator] Funding for this edition of State of Affairs with Steve Adubato has been provided by Choose New Jersey.

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The North Ward Center.

Atlantic Health System.

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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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[INSPRATIONAL MUSIC] - Hi, everyone, Steve Adubato here.

Let me set this up for you with my colleague, Mary Gamba, the co-host of our sister series, "Lessons in Leadership."

We sat down with Tai Cooper, the chief community development officer at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Yes, we talked leadership; Yes, we also talked mentoring of young women, particularly young women of color as it relates to leadership.

But we also talked about economic development in the state, economic development in urban communities, small businesses, their struggles, what they're dealing with, how they can access government programs, and sometimes how complicated that can be.

This is an interview that Mary Gamba, my colleague and I did with Tai Cooper.

And it's worth checking out.

- Welcome to "Lessons in Leadership."

Steve Adubato with my colleague, Mary Gamba.

Mary, let's kick this program off with one of the strongest leaders you're gonna find anywhere.

We are joined by Tai Cooper, who is Chief Community Development Officer at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Tai, good to see you.

- Good to see you too.

So happy to be here.

- Great, we've been in many meetings offline, particularly pre-COVID, and we look forward to being together again.

But in the meantime, do this.

As we put up the website for the EDA, tell everyone what the Economic Development Authority is and why it matters to the state.

- No, absolutely, The New Jersey Economic Development Authority is the economic engine for the state of New Jersey.

So when you think about the major developments that are happening all throughout the state, that is what we do.

The pivot, though, during COVID, was also to really start focusing intentionally on small businesses as well.

So we have economic engine with a heart.

- I like how you said that.

(Mary and Tai laugh) Before Mary jumps in, Tai, let me ask you, and we've had several interviews with Tim Sullivan, the CEO over at the EDA, but I'm curious, for small businesses, 1/3 of whom, they've closed.

small businesses have closed, 1/3, if not more of those small businesses in the state.

What are the greatest struggles in 2023 that small businesses in this state face?

- I mean, so we're doing a lot of work right now with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, really focusing on those that are underserved and underbanked and being underserved, and underbanked is still a critical issue, especially for those who are in the BIPOC community.

One of the things that we are proactively doing at every corner is making sure that we're reaching out to small businesses at EDA, really, and making sure we reach them where they are, helping them to walk through applications that can be really, really daunting, and also meeting the need, right?

So if the big need is we wanna be able to buy our space as opposed to renting our space, we're working on a program for that.

If we're working on helping them get grants to redo their spaces through an improvement grant, that's something that we're also working on, and also providing micro businesses 'cause it's really those micro and home-based businesses that were hit especially hard during COVID.

And so for us, what's the best way to work with them?

And so it's through grants, it's through loans, it's through listening sessions and hearing exactly what they need, and building products to suit that need as well.

- Well said.

Mary, jump in.

- Yeah, I would love to talk.

We talk all the time on "Lessons in Leadership" about pivoting, grit, innovation, resilience.

I said, "Now three years into the pandemic, I think some of us probably don't wanna hear some of these words ever again," but it is so true.

From these small businesses and the small business leaders that you are working with, talk about that connection between grit and leadership, perseverance and leadership, and really, survival, especially in these challenging times.

- I mean, I have been blown away with the businesses we have come into contact with over the past couple years.

It's not just about them surviving, but helping them to thrive afterwards.

I mean, there were businesses that immediately went through COVID and they were hit with this storm.

And so when you talk about resiliency and their ability to pivot, their ability to really have that grit to push through has been remarkable.

So anything that we're doing on our side at EDA is a testament to what they've already been through, right?

So if we can provide some relief at the end of the day, that's what we try to do.

But there are no small businesses like the ones that are in New Jersey that have that grit, that have that fortitude and were constantly pushing us to change, to move the needle, and provide more resources and services.

But I gotta tell ya, New Jersey makes 'em tough, and these businesses have really been doing a good job in pivoting their perspective, in going to online, which is very different than having a brick and mortar business, but changing everything so you can have online sales as well.

So they have really been able to pivot throughout this storm and really afterwards as well.

- Quick follow up on that, we've had conversations with small business leaders.

We actually have a small business series we've been doing for a while now.

What do you say, Tai, to those small businesses who say, "Listen.

We appreciate that the state is attempting to make a difference, but we do not feel that the state is overly welcoming to business"?

And that's a real perception on the part of some, if not many.

What do you say to those folks?

- I push back immediately.

New Jersey is one of the best places, in fact, to start a business, I mean, everything from our robust startup economy that we have here for venture companies that are looking, or for VIPOC small businesses that are now coming to the state of New Jersey.

I mean, just last year in the budget, we had over $20 million that was earmarked for Black and Latino startups.

And so, again, in those areas where folks feel like they're not seen, they're not heard, we're actually putting resources there.

In addition to that, if you're signing a lease in New Jersey for five years or more, we're also offering, through EDA, up to 40% off to help with your lease payments.

And so, again, for the businesses that we've talked to, we've sat there, we've listened to them, we've heard about their pain points, but New Jersey is ripe and open for businesses.

The fact that we have several entities from the Department of Community Affairs to the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority who pivoted during COVID to really focus intentionally on small businesses, I would push back and just say, "We are doing a lot more than anybody anticipates to support businesses."

And again, not just with paying the rent mode, but with helping them to expand their footprint, with helping them to franchise, with helping them to go from online to brick and mortar businesses as well.

So I say that there's a lot to do in New Jersey, and that's exactly what we're doing.

- As we put up the website for people to find out more about how to access programs at the EDA, Mary, jump back in.

But we do acknowledge that for some, it's hard to navigate, Tai.

Even if programs are there, it is complicated for some to navigate that, and our job is to provide information so people know where to go.

Mary, jump back in.

- Yeah, to tie it back to leadership, obviously, we're both women leaders.

I like to see us both as women leaders.

For young women today that are watching this and say, "Hey, listen, you know, I'm not sure what direction I wanna go in, and it's a male-dominated world out there when it comes to the C-suite," talk a little bit about where you got your confidence from.

Obviously, it shows through today and in our previous meetings with you.

Talk about where your leadership and confidence comes from.

- I'll say a little phrase, "She get it from her mama".

(Mary laughs) But really and truly, it is true.

I've been so fortunate throughout my career from starting working with Senator Lautenberg where we had the FRL ladies where there was just a dynamic group of women who took me from the very beginning and held my hand and walked me through the process, to having a strong mother who said, "There is no glass ceiling that you can't break.

You can move forward."

And so for me, I feel fortunate for the mentors.

I've gotta mention, Michellene Davis, Marcia Brown, Nancy Cantor, these women who really wrapped their- (Steve applauds) - I know you gotta clap for these dynamic women.

But have literally wrapped their arms around me to ensure that not only do I not fail, but that I also create pathways for other women who are coming up because, again, it's not gonna be me here forever, and it shouldn't be.

We should be creating pathways and pipelines for women to get here as well, for other women to get here.

I want people that are gonna be way better than me, to put me to shame, actually.

That's what I want.

- Tai, you see that as a major responsibility of yours, do you not?

- If not you, then who?

It has to be.

It has to be.

I think it's so incumbent upon women who are in positions of power and positions of opportunity to reach back and to help because, again, but for other women that helped me, I wouldn't be here.

And I feel like I'm just getting to, like, the surface of what I wanna do, but, again, it's incumbent upon all of us who are in leadership roles, all of us who have been there and done that to come back and help other people, other women specifically.

- It's not enough for you to be on all the lists of most influential, up and coming- - Absolutely not.

- She's a great leader, which you are on all those lists.

It's not enough, is it?

- Absolutely not because you still have to move the needle and it's not gonna be one person.

They have this phrase, "If you wanna go far, you go alone."

If you wanna go fast, you go alone.

If you wanna go far, you bring others with you."

And that's exactly what you have to do, and I butchered that quote terribly, but the point being, it's a collective group.

It takes a group.

It takes a unit.

It takes the team and a family.

You cannot and should not do it alone.

- That's Tai Cooper.

(Tai chuckles) She's the Chief Community Development Officer at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Tai, we thank you so much for joining us.

We appreciate it.

- Absolutely a pleasure.

Thank you both so much.

- You got it.

We'll be right back.

(grand music) - [Announcer] To watch more State of Affairs with Steve Adubato, find us online and follow us on social media.

Let me set up this segment, folks.

My colleague, Mary Gamba, my colleague on "Lessons in Leadership," a sister series we do.

Mary and I sat down with Dr. Lamont Repollet, the President of Kean University, the former Commissioner of Education in the state, an educational leader.

We didn't just simply talk about leadership, which is a big enough topic.

We talked about leadership in urban education.

We talked about motivating young people in urban communities to make a difference.

We talked about the role of a major research institution, as in this case Kean University, and promoting the importance of urban issues.

We're doing a series called "Urban Matters" in cooperation with the John S. Watson Urban Research Institute at Kean University.

And we talked about urban issues.

We talked about leadership.

We talked about education, Mary and I, together with Dr. Lamont Repollet.

- We are honored to be joined by our longtime friend, Dr. Lamont Repollet, President of Kean University, the former head of the Department of Education in the great state of New Jersey.

Good to see you, doctor.

- Good to see you, Steve.

How's it going?

- Things are great.

I gotta tell ya, I was in your office a couple months ago.

It is an extraordinary office.

Is that, when you moved in as President, is that just the way it was or did you do anything with it?

- Just the way it was.

It was renovated by, maybe about 15 years ago, and you might know, heard the name Anne Estabrook?

She donated some money.

Anne Estabrook donated, she's definitely a friend of Kean, very philanthropic.

She's one of our best donors, and she really renovated this space.

And it's original.

- It's an extraordinary university and an office there.

Lamont, lemme just jump right in.

You and I, when we were together, we talked a lot about leadership and developing people and coaching, et cetera, et cetera.

And P.S., Dr. Repollet was on his way when I was with him.

He was getting on a plane.

He was going to see a game, I think it was, who were you gonna see?

Do you remember?

- I was going to see Deion Sanders in Atlanta.

- Yeah, I just wanted to get a plug for Deion Sanders, a great coach.

Hey, listen, your approach to leadership, we talked about this privately.

I want you to share it publicly.

The greatest, most significant influence on you in terms of your leadership style comes from what and/or whom?

- I guess it comes from my family, my parents.

Really originated from understanding that kindness and humanity is the key, right?

And my family didn't have a lot of money, but they had a lot of love.

And they took in folks when they shouldn't have taken in folks.

They fed folks when they couldn't feed themselves.

And it started with my grandmother, the matriarch of the family, and then the rest of my mother and my mother and father.

So I'm thankful.

So at the core of who I am is really about people.

I have this saying, Steve, is that, you know, and it's not my saying, it's a quote, I'm not quite sure who said it, but it's "People are the greatest asset in any organization."

And I think once we understand that people are the greatest asset in an organization, then you become people-centered.

You know, my case in education, you become student-centered.

And I think that as a result of that you create this culture that surrounds that whole humanity.

And I think, you know, when I was Commissioner of Education during COVID-19, during the pandemic and sitting there with Governor Murphy, I talked about leading with humanity a lot.

Understand this is different, this is new.

So sometimes we have to give grace.

And I think in leadership at times it becomes stressful.

And you have to be able to lead with humanity and sometimes afford people grace.

- The other part of leadership, before you jump in, Mary, the other part of leadership that I know is deeply embedded in not just your philosophy but who you are, is that you were a leader of a public school district in a highly urban community.

Share with everyone where that was where it is today.

- Asbury Park, New Jersey, Asbury Park School District.

- That's right.

And you told me and you told others publicly and in private that you expected more from those students than others expected from them, nothing but their best.

How much of leadership and how much of educational leadership, Doctor, is predicated on high expectations of those unfortunately for whom too many people don't expect very much?

And they're dead wrong about that.

- So it begins with excellence, right?

You know, just a basic standard of excellence.

And I think that when you raise the bar, you give people the ability to strive for something, to aspire to something.

However, deficit thinking is when you look at things and say that's the way it is.

These are the circumstances.

And you know what?

I'm sorry.

These kids, these people, this individual, this organization, this company, that's who we are.

And so my job is to make sure, to show them who we are and who we can be.

Right, to turn the what, impossible to unpossible.

And I think that's always been my thing.

Really the level of standard of excellence, and what that means and showing them.

And then when they start to see that success of the level of standard, they start to understand, oh, it can be done, right?

And I think, and that's that cultural mind shift we talked about, you know, Steve in the meeting in our office is to really a cultural mindset, going from that fixed mindset to that growth mindset.

And with those individuals when they have this fixed mindset, it's always complacency.

It's always mediocrity, right?

But when you have this growth mindset, it becomes the impossible.

What can you do?

And I think it becomes that, you know, that vision.

It becomes a dream, and it becomes a dreamer.

And I think just being visionary, and those folks who've been successful over a period of time have been dreamers, right, been visionaries.

- Starting with Dr. King who we talked about extensively.

- Yes, and definitely, you talking about someone here - I see him right over your right shoulder.

- Yes, and today's beginning of Black history month so of course it's apropos that we talk about, you know, the contributions of Dr. King, right?

And you know, and Dr. King wasn't the only one during the civil rights, but he knew that the spotlight was on him, and he had a responsibility to do what was right.

And he talked about love.

And he didn't go with an approach of violence.

He talked about nonviolence.

His give a person a hug, have a conversation with them, understand, respect there's differences between one another.

But find that common ground when it comes to equality, when it comes to equity, when it just comes to just basic civil rights and civil justice.

And I think as we start to really look at ourselves, it starts with our moral compass.

And I think Dr. King said it right with his moral compass.

- Sure did.

And Mary, one of the reasons I wanted to do this with you as part of our Lessons in Leadership series is that one of the themes in our work is that the status quo is never good enough.

And Dr. Repollet is talking about that right now.

Regardless of what it is, whether it was worst case scenario, the history of racism, discrimination in our country, Dr. King believed the status quo was not good enough from an educational perspective.

Dr. Repollet saying in urban communities not good enough.

Mary, jump in.

- Yeah, and definitely speaking about status quo and innovation, which is just the complete opposite.

Dr. Repollet, can you talk a little bit I live in Union County, I drive by the Kean University billboards all the time talking about Kean University is New Jersey's first urban research institution.

What does that mean for not only Union County but for the entire state?

- That means that we're no longer just this university that sits within Union County, but we're a statewide entity.

We're a national entity.

And we're talking about this urban focus, right?

And it's really looking at finding solutions to marginalized people in marginalized communities.

And here we are at Kean University, it's a diverse university with a diverse, one of the most diverse universities in the country.

And so therefore you have a lot of our students that are from these urban centers.

So just imagine you put a student in a situation where they're tasked to be able to come up with a solution, whether it's health disparities whether it's food insecurity, whether it's housing, but looking through the lens of the college in which they, they're in, whether it's law enforcement, whether it's health, whether it's education.

And see to me, we talk about this urban agenda.

Yes, we're very happy about this urban agenda because this urban agenda, it helps us, Steve, it helps us focus on our research, right?

Because we can say New Jersey Research University.

However, that's general, that's broad to where what's our focus?

We want everyone to understand that we're going to now pinpoint and be laser focused on the things that we do.

- That's right.

- Within our colleges.

Now we focus on bettering society, bettering folks, better folks in their situation and finding solutions.

So we're very pleased with this focus.

And that's why it was important for us to be able to join forces and bring in the Watson Institute of public policy and research to Kean because we knew that would give us the credibility in that area of urban research.

- Lemme clarify and give more detail.

The John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University named after the great honorable John S. Watson.

Please check out our series, "Remember Them."

We remember his extraordinary work in the state legislature.

I was proud to have served with him back in the day.

He was the chair of the state assembly, budget and finance and appropriations committee.

John S. Watson made a huge difference.

The first person of color to lead that committee.

And it's a one-on-one interview we did with Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman talking about her dad.

But along those lines, we're also doing a series called "Urban Matters" in cooperation with the Institute.

"Urban Matters" about all the issues that Lamont, Dr. Repollet just talked about.

Real quick follow up on this, help us on this one.

You've led in a school district in an urban community, you've led at the Department of Education, you lead at Kean University.

Is leadership just leadership regardless of whether you're in a local government situation, state government or university?

Or is there something different depending upon what field you're playing on?

- No, I agree.

Leadership matters, right?

Leadership, you know, and I tell people in simple terms, when you turn your head and you look back, if people are following you, you're a leader, right?

However, if you turn your back, if you turn your head, no one's following.

You're not a leader.

And so that means that whatever organization, small, mid, large, is that you're supposed to give them a vision.

You're supposed to articulate where you're going to take them, right?

And then you're supposed to have a mission set with goals and set with values of an organization.

And I think no matter what size it is, if people truly understand that they know where they're going, right, they know how they're gonna get there, and they know the outcomes when they get there, then guess what?

They're more, the probability of them leading, following you is far greater.

But if they don't, if you don't clarify your mission or your vision, and you look back, no one's following you because everyone is doing their own thing, right?

Everyone is going out and about.

So what it is, is really, I tell people leadership in a nutshell is managing behaviors, right?

How do you inspire individuals to do the work, right?

How do you get them to do things that they don't see yet, but they have faith in you as a leader or faith in your organization that you know if I go that way, I don't know what's on the other side, but if I do go that way, I have a belief that this individual, this organization is going to lead me in the right way.

So it's really about belief, it's about faith.

It's about leadership, it's about your vision.

And if you don't cast a vision, you know, then how are people gonna follow?

If you don't give them a blueprint or mission to where to go, they're not gonna follow.

So for me, it does not matter what size, whether it's a classroom whether it's state, local, or private, I always have this thing where I actually look at companies.

I look at their mission statements.

I look at their vision statements.

I look at their goals because I wanna find out exactly where we going.

So when I have a nonprofit organization or any other group that meet with me, first thing I say, okay, what goals do you have set for yourself?

Because I wanna know if you have a blueprint to where the outcomes is gonna take us.

So if I partner with you, am I gonna (indecipherable) point?

- Yeah, and that's the essence of what Dr. King was all about.

Having a dream that he communicated effectively, inspired others to move toward that dream and put their lives on the line.

And he ultimately sacrificed at 39 years of age his life.

Mary, last question.

Got a minute left.

- Yeah, definitely.

I often ask, Dr. Repollet, people in academia, what do our, cause Steve and I both have sons right now that are in college.

What is the most important leadership trait, leadership or communication trait that our young adults need that are in college and going to be entering the workforce?

- So I can tell you right now, it's, if you look at the EQ of folks, right?

You know, you look at, people talk about IQ, but I really look at EQ, right?

And you're looking at that.

It's listening.

I think sometimes we don't listen.

You know, and if you listen, you can understand who you are.

We don't reflect, we don't meditate.

We don't take the time to find out who we are as individuals.

Cause other folks are, I'm a parent with someone in college.

I'm a parent right now with a daughter that's a senior that's applying the colleges, right?

And sometimes I'm not, I tend not to listen to her because I'm, I think I know what's best for her.

But I left her alone a little bit.

And let me tell you, I'm just surprised of the program she chose, the school she likes, whatever it is, so I think for students coming in right now, it's listening and really keeping your eyes open to things that, and get to know things that are different, right?

Explore.

And that's what things about exploration, listening.

I think those are the big things as far as leadership.

Cause they're gonna develop those skills.

They're gonna develop soft skills along the way.

And that's where those general ed courses what they do for you is kind of build those foundational skills.

But I think one part is just listening, and I say, listening, listen to your heart.

Sometimes our head kind of confuses us, right?

But our heart kind of drives us.

There's this book called, I'm gonna plug this book called "The Alchemist" by Paul Coelho.

It's this little shepherd boy, right?

To me, that's one of my favorite books.

- Love that book.

- Exactly, it's about follow your heart.

And you never know, you can wind up bending gold in that way, right?

- Lamont Repollet, Dr Lamont Repollet, the President of Kean University, former Commissioner, Department of Education.

We're smarter because you joined us.

Thank you, my friend.

- Well, thank you Steve.

I thank you very much for having me on here.

I appreciate it.

I look forward to, you know, talking more about you, and I really more if I see you for giving day, okay?

- Okay, yeah.

Mary's an alum of Kean University.

She's getting hit up as she should.

- Yep.

- To contribute.

- Don't worry, I'll be there.

- But thank you very much for having me.

I appreciate it, guys.

- You got it, see you next time.

- [Narrator] State of Affairs with Steve Adubato Is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by Choose New Jersey.

NJ Best, New Jersey'’s five-two-nine college savings plan.

The North Ward Center.

Atlantic Health System.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

MD Advantage Insurance Company.

PSEG Foundation.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

And by Newark Board of Education.

Promotional support provided by NJBIZ.

And by CIANJ, and Commerce Magazine.

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