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Giving Each Other the Business
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Business New Haven
6/4/1995
By: BNH
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Gay, 'gay-friendly' business people unite for support, networking, ideas
The Connecticut Business Guild's title gives little hint of its mission as a group of gay and gay-friendly business people who see their group as an avenue for professional networking. Or better yet, as President Ken Carifa describes it, “a chamber of commerce formed to promote economic development for gay and lesbian business owners and gay-friendly businesses.”
The group holds monthly meetings throughout the state and invites guest speakers to address concerns of members. Carifa considers the meetings programmatic and social. For example, Tony Brescia, senior regional manager of the state's Department of Economic Development (DED), talked about small-business loans and accessibility to state and federal funding. Another month a psychologist discussed his research regarding communications between gay and straight men.
Since its founding a year ago, the guild has grown to more than 80 members, the majority business owners, with some professionals from corporate settings. Members' businesses run the gamut: financial services and law firms, photography studios, beauty salons, real estate and travel agencies, bookstores, restaurants and arts groups.
Guild members have put together a business-to-business directory as a membership tool to let the gay community know which businesses are committed to diversity and don't just tolerate, but encourage, them to use their services or buy their products.
Carifa describes Connecticut as a “fairly tolerant” business environment. He points to the state's sexual orientation discrimination laws, enacted in 1991, prohibiting discrimination against “heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality” in most housing and employment issues. Connecticut is one of only eight states and the District of Columbia with anti-gay discrimination laws.
However, Carifa emphasizes that the guild is about business, not
politics.
One of its founders, Liz Jacovino, is chef and co-owner of the Café at Reader's Feast in Hartford. Reader's Feast is an anchor for the capital's gay community. Jacovino's message: “Watch where you spend your dollars - whether it be the gay and lesbian community, town community, state community or small-business community.” For instance, she uses SNET for phone service “because it is an in-state company. Their employees eat in my restaurant, and I want to keep the dollars in state.”
Aldis Alexander is a guild board member who owns and runs his own travel agency, Aldis: The Travel Planner, in Danbury. He says the travel industry is driven by recommendations: People want to meet fact to face, talk about vacation or travel needs and get the inside scoop on vacation spots. As a gay-friendly business, clients are more apt to feel comfortable talking about their lover or partner and making sure that they vacation someplace that is gay-friendly. A traditional mom-and-pop travel agency may simply not know gay-friendly from gay-hostile report spots.
Aldis says that in the past decade, hotels, resorts, cruise lines, airlines and travel agencies have started to address the travel needs of the gay and lesbian community. Some Club Meds are now exclusively gay four times a year, cruise lines designate four or five weeks exclusively for the gay community, and some large commercial airlines have begun to extend discounts to domestic partners that were historically reserved for spouses.
SNET and the Yale Repertory Theatre are corporate members of the guild for marketing, networking and supporting the gay community. Laura Lupoli, SNET's product manager of consumer services, describes how her company supports diversity “internally and externally.” The company has an anti-discrimination policy for sexual preference and a new mission statement about tolerance of diversity. SNET was a corporate sponsor and exhibitor at the National Gay & Lesbian Business and Consumer Expo.
Janet L. Rosenfeld, a CPA in joint practice with her husband, joined the guild as a gay-friendly business. She also advertises in Metroline, a gay periodical, to let the gay community know that she understands the financial issues they face and would like their business. “As a CPA, I need to know several details, like levels of commitment. Are you just living together or are you committed to the relationship? How much can you trust your partner? Are you HIV-positive?” Tax planning for unmarried couples is also key. 'Tax laws treat unmarried couples differently than married couples,” she notes.
Rosenfeld has found that her affiliation with the guild has indeed generated business. Rosenfeld isn't alone when she says, “The guild provides a lot of information and has a wide range of experience to draw from.” Not a bad start to build on.
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