Don Newman
Manager, Office of Small Business Advocacy
NJ Business Action Center
New Jersey Department of State

Mr. Newman serves as the Manager of Small Business Advocacy within the New Jersey Department of State, Business Action Center. As Manager, he provides services to business of all sizes and at all stages of development, from startups through maturity. These services include identifying specific programs for which business are eligible and helping them locate the resources that best meet their needs. In addition, Don manages the NJ Business Helpline, 1-800 JERSEY-7 and a new live chat. This year, through both platforms, his team responded to over 75,000 business questions.

With over 17 years of experience as a business advocate, Mr. Newman has assisted countless businesses grow and prosper in our state. Prior to joining state government, Don managed and worked for several small businesses, gaining valuable experience in such varied fields as inventory management, sales, business planning, and marketing.

Boynton R. Weekes
Franchise Consultant, FranNet of NJ & NYC

Today to begin the process of business ownership!

Boynton is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University with a B.A. in Business Administration. He has over 28 years of business experience in the Commercial Insurance Underwriting and Franchising industries. His exceptional focus on sales and marketing led him to receive numerous awards from companies such as Chubb Corp. and Fantastic Sams Franchised Hair Salons.

In July 2001, Boynton founded Global Franchising Group, LLC where he served as the Director of Regional Operations, Franchise Sales and Real Estate Development. Global Franchising Group served as the Master Franchisee and Sub-franchisor in North Jersey & North Eastern, PA. as one of the largest hair care franchises. As a Sub-franchisor, Boynton assisted franchisees with marketing, management, advertising, real estate site selection and negotiations, recruiting and retention planning, and obtaining business financing.