New To You

New Jersey Receives Additional $900K in STEP Funding

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has released the second budget of funding set aside in the approved 2026 budget! The State of New Jersey has received $900,000.00 of additional funding for STEP 14, to assist small businesses new to exporting and those looking to expand market reach. The applications will open in the SAGE portal in the upcoming weeks. For more details, please contact your International Business Advocate or complete a client intake form which can be found in the “How Can I Apply” section of the NJSTEP web page.

Good Reads

What Are the 6 Mistakes Businesses Need to Know!
6 Common Startup Mistakes to Avoid. (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

The Key to Going Viral (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
Elements of a Viral Marketing Campaign, and How to Create One

Did you know every stage of your business has a different financial strategy?
Financing Strategies for Every Stage of Your Business

SBA Small Business Manual
Download Here

Mentor Matchmaking Services
https://www.nj.gov/state/bac/referral-services/overview/

The Office of United States Trade Representative Seeks public comment!
There is a request for public comments on significant foreign trade barriers for the 2027 National Trade Estimate Report. Make your voice heard, read more in the Federal Register Here. Comment deadline is October 29, 2026.

Upcoming Events

October 27 – Introduction to Exporting Webinar – 12 pm

Register Here

Are you ready to sell your products or services abroad, but do not know where to start?  Join the NJ Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC) at Rutgers University—Camden and the NJ Business Action Center (NJBAC) to learn about the existing resources to guide your exporting journey.

As a business owner, you know that every decision includes careful planning and assessing risk. Learn directly from International Business Advocates at the NJBAC about methods for assessing whether expanding into markets outside of the U.S. is feasible for your company.

• Obtain practical guidance on how to start exploring export markets for your product or service.
• Receive tools to help you vet potential markets for viability and review market entry strategies.
• Learn about the various resources from the NJBAC’s Office of Export Promotion, including export assistance, advocacy, and the NJ State Trade Expansion Program (NJ STEP).
• Have your questions answered by an International Business Advocate of the NJBAC.

 Application Deadline October 19.
The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s upcoming U.S. Department of Commerce-certified infrastructure trade mission to the U.A.E., taking place November 18–24, 2026.

The U.A.E. is placing renewed emphasis on infrastructure resilience, supply chain security, and reliable energy, water, and logistics networks. These priorities present timely opportunities for U.S. companies offering engineering, equipment, technology, and related services.

The delegation will meet government and business leaders across five emirates to explore infrastructure projects and commercial opportunities.

Applications are due October 19. For more information, email David Greenhalgh at dgreenhalgh@usuaebusiness.org.

IFE 2027 – April 5 – 7, 2027

Discounted Early Registration Available until October 30.

Take your brand to the UK’s largest international food & drink event – IFE 2027 in London. Scheduled for April 5 – 7, 2027, at ExCeL. IFE brings together food and beverage manufacturers, retailers, distributors, importers, and foodservice professionals from across the UK and beyond.

Now is the time to secure your place in the USDA-endorsed USA Pavilion, as discounted early registration rates are available through the end of October. For more information, contact Lori Daugherty at IMEX Management.

FOODEX Japan 20207 – March 9 – 12, 2027

Discounted Early Bird Registration until October 31.

Join the USA Pavilion at FOODEX JAPAN 2027, taking place March 9–12, 2027, in Tokyo, where U.S. exporters can showcase the quality, innovation, and diversity of American food and beverage products to over 70,000 buyers from Japan, across Asia, and around the world

Buy America In Korea – 2026 – December 3 – 4, 2026

KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency), is looking for New Jersey companies interested in meeting with Korean buyers seeing high-quality, U.S. products. This event will be in Seoul, Republic of Korea December 3 – 4, 2026. Space is limited so act quickly! For more information, click here. For further questions, please contact Songok Han at KOTRA, songok.han@kotra.or.kr

Gulfood 2027 –– March 15 – 19, 2027

Food Export recently launched our discounted booth space at Gulfood.
Food Show PLUS! at Gulfood 2027 - Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA–Northeast

For more information contact Julie Pierre, Liaison NJ, NYC, DE, 215-599-9742, jpierre@foodexport.org

Main Street Acquisition Support Grant (NJ EDA)

The Main Street Acquisition Support Grant will be a grant product that will offer a reimbursement of closing costs up to $50,000 to eligible NJ small businesses that have purchased a commercial property in which their business will operate from.  This product will help support small business that have made a substantial investment and recently purchased a commercial building, the closing must occur after 10/1/2024, and the application for the grant must be made no later than one year from closing in order to be eligible. More details here.

As we celebrate our 13^th Monthly Monitor Issue, that just so happens to be in October,

here are some fun facts about Halloween and the number 13!

History and Superstition of The Number 13

Triskaidekaphobia: The clinical fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia, while the fear of Friday the 13th is paraskavedekatriaphobia

Missing Floors: Many tall buildings and hotels skip labeling the 13th floor, going straight from 12 to 14, or using "12A

Interesting Facts About Halloween

Ancient Celtic Roots: Halloween began as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, where people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off roaming spirits.

Turnips Before Pumpkins: The first Jack-o'-lanterns were carved from turnips and potatoes in Ireland and Scotland before immigrants discovered that American pumpkins were much easier to carve.

Medieval Trick-or-Treating: Modern trick-or-treating evolved from "souling" and "guising," medieval European traditions where people wore costumes and went door-to-door offering prayers or songs in exchange for food.

Original Candy Corn Name: Candy corn was created in the 1880s by a candymaker named George Renninger and was originally called "Chicken Feed."

A Fear of Halloween: The extreme or intense fear of Halloween is a real phobia known as Samhainophobia.

Bobbing for Apples Was for Romance: Apple bobbing started as an ancient British courting ritual where the first person to bite an apple was predicted to be the next to marry.

Not Just Orange: Pumpkins do not only grow in orange; they also come in natural shades of white, green, yellow, red, and blue.

What is "Success" to You?

Is it seeing your firm's consumer packaged goods on the shelves of a British store? Perhaps, it is entering the United Arab Emirates with a breakthrough cosmetic? Or, it might be selling your firm's AI-powered consulting services in Japan.

Whichever country, or language, spells "Success" to you, the Office of Export Promotion is your go-to resource. Send an email to Marielle Wolf at marielle.wolf@sos.nj.gov.

Let’s talk about what your “Success” will be!

Have an Export-Related Need? NJ BAC Office of Export Promotion Can Help.

The Office of Export Promotion works with New Jersey’s small and mid-sized companies interested in expanding sales and their customer base for their products and services through export. Companies interested in global business activity can tap into a number of resources on business export planning available through the NJBAC Export Promotion unit.

Have a Business Need? NJ BAC Can Help.

The NJBAC offers no-cost technical assistance, training, and problem-solving. From site selection and incentive identification to one-off questions, the NJBAC is here to support all NJ businesses. In addition to the Office of Export Promotion, NJBAC is home to the Office of Small Business Advocacy, Office of Business Advocacy, and the Office of Planning Advocacy. The NJBAC offers free online chat and telephone (800-537-7397) assistance in English and Spanish to any New Jersey business. The NJBAC Small Business Manual, a one-stop tool for many business concerns, is available online. A Spanish version of the manual is also available for download. A print copy in both versions is available on request.

Please feel free to share the information in this email with other NJ companies interested in exporting.

Please note we will be sending out these OEP Updates emails typically once a month. If there is a topic you would like us to address, please tell us. If you would rather not receive these emails, let us know and we will remove you from our list.

Best Regards,

The Office of Export Promotion Team
Penni Wild, Deputy Executive Director
Jean Chang, International Business Advocate
Marielle Wolf, NJSTEP Project Director
Sophie Werner, International Business Advocate