As the number of participants poured into my Netwinar on Zoom, I became increasingly nervous.

The Zoom waiting room kept ticking up… 37, 45, 56. My excitement suddenly turned to panic. Soon, sixty people were ready to log into my netwinar, and I knew Zoom only allowed 50 Advanced Polls.

This wasn’t your typical Zoom webinar with hundreds of attendees. This was a netwinar (“net winner” = part webinar + part networking) where every participant needed time to speak, connect, and complete their polls for each other.

Needless to say, I was in trouble …

CAREERS
💼 Rochester at Work

Workplace Highlights in Rochester, NY

The Rochester metro area’s unemployment rate stands at about 4.0% as of August 2025, reflecting a stable labor market. Over the past year, private-sector employment rose by roughly 4,000 jobs (about 0.9 %), with the strongest increases in Education & Health Services, Professional & Business Services, and Leisure & Hospitality.

🔥 Top Job Postings

• Landscape Sales Manager at McFarlin Stanford
  💵 $90K – $120K/yr. | 📍 Rochester, NY (Apply)

• Medical Sales Rep - ENT/Physician office at DAVID BAGGA COMPANY
  💵 $80K – $230K/yr. | 📍 Rochester, NY (Apply)

• Medical Device Sales Representative- Western NY at SOTA Medical
  💵 $130K/yr. | 📍 Rochester, NY (Apply)

👀 Top Job Seekers

• Mark A Polizzi, Insurance Compliance Analyst
  👉 Looking for Full-Time Work |📍Rochester, NY (Profile)

• Terry Falk, Owner & Per Diem Substitute Teacher
  👉 Seeking employment in intercollegiate athletics industry |📍Rochester, NY (Profile)

• Delaney Pierson, Production Intern & Technical Artist
  👉 Game Design and Development Graduate from RIT seeking full-time employment | Attended GDC 2025 |📍Rochester, NY  (Profile)

• The City of Rochester needs the installation and maintenance of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) at the Rochester Public Market and International Plaza (Link)

• Rochester Housing Stability Fund Corporation Application for Small-scale or Innovative Project Funding (Link)

• Repair Bldg. 606, General Instruction Building, Math and System Engineering Center (MSEC) USMA at West Point, NY (Link)

• Election Law Book Publishing (Link)

• Warehousing & Distribution (Delivery) Services of USDA Donated Food Commodities in Region L – Counties of Cayuga, Onondaga, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates (Link)

• City Hall "A" Building Low Roof Replacement (Link)

• Resident Project Representative (RPR) Services Railroad Underpass Improvements (Link)

• ‘The 2025-26 application (for businesses operating 12+ months) is available: up to $8,000 for eligible businesses with annual gross revenues ≤ $5 million. Reimbursement grants only. (More)

• Round 9 applications opened October 2, 2025, closing January 12, 2026. Each selected startup receives initial investment of $100,000 and may compete for up to $2 million follow-on. Must attend weekly in-person in Rochester one week/month plus remote. (Read)

• Administered by Empire State Development (ESD): grants up to $25,000 for for-profit businesses, up to $100,000 for nonprofits, to increase or start exporting. (Read)

• County, local business provide food resources during SNAP funding gap (More)

• MAG campaign boosted by $3 million donation (More)

• Rochester hosts New York State Innovation Summit (More)

What are the top tips for doing business in Rochester, NY?

1. Take full advantage of local business support programs
   The city offers loans, grants and technical assistance for small and growing businesses. For example, the City of Rochester Department of Neighborhood & Business Development provides low-interest loans and grants for equipment, working capital, renovations and job-creation projects.
   Also, the Office of Financial Empowerment, City of Rochester offers business-education programs and one-on-one counseling for entrepreneurs.

2. Optimize your local marketing & digital footprint
   In Rochester specifically, businesses benefit from strong local‐SEO and digital marketing efforts. For instance, leveraging local keywords, claiming your Google Business Profile, and engaging via social media help you be visible to the local market…

3. Focus on financial discipline & resilience

   The Rochester region’s economy is resilient, but business owners are advised to prepare for unexpected shifts

Thank you for being part of our Greater Rochester business community!