In partnership with
HV Vibes — August 8, 2025:
Where Business Growth Meets Local Life in the Hudson Valley. Your twice weekly dose of Hudson Valley business intelligence, AI insights, and profit opportunities for growth-stage entrepreneurs.
The best HR advice comes from people who’ve been in the trenches.
That’s what this newsletter delivers.
I Hate it Here is your insider’s guide to surviving and thriving in HR, from someone who’s been there. It’s not about theory or buzzwords — it’s about practical, real-world advice for navigating everything from tricky managers to messy policies.
Every newsletter is written by Hebba Youssef — a Chief People Officer who’s seen it all and is here to share what actually works (and what doesn’t). We’re talking real talk, real strategies, and real support — all with a side of humor to keep you sane.
Because HR shouldn’t feel like a thankless job. And you shouldn’t feel alone in it.
We Just Discovered a Massive Gap in Hudson Valley Networking — And We Need Your Help to Fix It
This week, we tried something that should have been simple: find every in-person small business networking event happening in the Hudson Valley between now and Labor Day. What we discovered was frustrating - and eye-opening. The events are out there, but they're nearly impossible to find. Which got us thinking: what if we could change that?
The Search That Opened Our Eyes
Even with AI-powered search tools and hours of digging, we could barely scratch the surface. Hudson Valley networking events live in the shadows - buried in Facebook groups, tucked away on chamber websites, shared through private email lists, or announced on flyers at your local coffee shop.
After a manual, boots-on-the-ground search, here's what we actually found:
HVWIB Coffee Networking — Today (Aug 8), 9:00 AM at Palace Diner, Poughkeepsie (oops, started before we published this)
Networking in Newburgh — Tuesday, Aug 26, 4:00 PM at VFW Post 973
Buy Local Expo — Wednesday, Sept 10, 12:00 PM at Diamond Mills, Saugerties
That's it. Three events across eight counties??
Why This Actually Matters
For Hudson Valley entrepreneurs, networking isn't optional — it's how partnerships form, referrals happen, and community support grows. But if we can't find these opportunities, we can't connect the incredible business owners who call this region home.
Every missed connection is a lost opportunity for collaboration, growth, and the kind of local business ecosystem that makes our communities thrive.
Our Big Idea: The HV Vibes Verified Networking Calendar
Starting immediately, we want to become the Hudson Valley's go-to source for business networking events. Every Friday, we'll publish a Verified Networking Calendar covering Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Ulster, Rockland, and Westchester counties.
We'll do the detective work — scanning chamber bulletins, calling organizers, checking community boards — so you don't have to hunt through twenty different websites to find your next business connection.
Here's where you come in: We can't build this resource without the Hudson Valley business community. If you know about networking events, host them, or stumble across them, we need to hear from you.
Send us details: 📧 [email protected] or 📱 DM @h.v.vibes
Event name, date, time, location, and any registration details. We'll verify everything and make sure it gets in front of the right people.
Together, we can make sure no Hudson Valley entrepreneur ever says "I didn't even know that was happening" again. Let's build something our business community actually needs….. and make it happen one Friday at a time.
What networking events do you know about that others might be missing? Reply to this email or send them our way.