Entrepreneurs Build Businesses and Pathways for Future Talent in Hudson County, NJ
In Hudson County, New Jersey, entrepreneurship rarely stops at the business itself. For many founders, success means building something larger – opportunity, access and pathways for future talent. It becomes a way to shape environments where ideas gain traction, careers take form and industries evolve.
In industries as varied as the arts and hospitality, business leaders are investing not only in ventures, but in people.
Creativity Finds Structure
Robinson Holloway, CEO of ARTS 14C, has long believed the arts are more than adornment. She sees them as essential to a thriving society. That belief led her to create Art Fair 14C in 2018, originally designed to help visual artists gain notice in an industry where opportunity can be difficult to access. “You can be a great artist, but there is no real system that ensures you can make a living,” Holloway says.
What began as an art fair quickly expanded. ARTS 14C, launched in 2024, emerged as a nonprofit focused on supporting artists while broadening public access to the arts. The organization’s most transformative chapter arrived in early 2025, when Holloway stepped into an unexpected opportunity: relocating into a 125,000-square-foot facility in Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts District.
The historic A&P warehouse, previously converted into student housing, became something entirely new. Today, the space functions as both residency and incubator. Live-work studios sit alongside maker spaces, rehearsal rooms, recording facilities, galleries and rotating project areas.
Artists from around the world work across disciplines, often collaborating in ways that feel organic yet deeply impactful.
“People are creating paths they might never have taken otherwise,” Holloway says.
The model reinforces the powerful idea that creativity and entrepreneurship share the same DNA. Like founders, artists navigate uncertainty, build markets and transform ideas into sustainable work. Holloway has seen how transformative that structure can be.
“When artists gain access to space, resources and stability, they are better positioned to expand their reach and contribute to the broader cultural and economic landscape,” Holloway says. “The arts have shaped cultures and civilizations for centuries. They continue to challenge us, inspire us and move society forward.”
Creating Opportunity From the Inside
Jeanne Cretella, co-founder and president of By Landmark, shares a similarly expansive view of entrepreneurship.
Landmark Hospitality began with Liberty House Restaurant & Events in 2001, launching during one of the most uncertain periods in recent history. Over two decades, the company expanded into boutique hotels, event venues and a private membership club, ultimately rebranding as By Landmark – a shift reflecting a broader vision.
“We realized we weren’t just operating venues,” Cretella says. “We were shaping how people celebrate milestones, gather with community, travel and connect.”
But By Landmark’s most distinctive innovation may lie behind the scenes. Through the Art of Hospitality Workers Alliance, education became a core part of the company’s operating philosophy.
Rather than treating training as a separate initiative, team members gain access to English language instruction, ServSafe certification, financial literacy courses, leadership development and specialized hospitality education.
“We provide tangible, skills-based pathways that directly impact both professional and personal advancement,” Cretella says. “When our team members grow, the business grows with them.”
The approach challenges a long-standing industry norm of high turnover rates. Instead, By Landmark built a culture centered on growth, advancement and shared ownership.
Performance conversations now include development plans, helping team members see how their roles connect to larger business outcomes.
“It shifts the mindset from ‘This is just a job’ to ‘I am part of building something,’” Cretella says.
For Cretella, the impact extends well beyond operations. Hospitality, she notes, remains one of the most human-centered career paths in an increasingly automated world.
“In a world shaped by technology and AI, genuine human connection still matters,” Cretella says. “That’s what hospitality is built on.”
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