On Jan. 9th, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, LaFATA’s Eatery hosted the “New Beginnings Mixer,” a community-centered networking event that brought together local business owners, professionals, and community advocates. The event was organized by Wendy Javier, President of I Choose Me Too Corp., in collaboration with Rakesh Nayak, owner of LaFATA’s Eatery and Mister Croissant.
For Javier, the motivation behind the event was simple but powerful: community. “It’s always about community,” Javier said. “Community is the soul of your business. If you don’t have community and you don’t have networking, you can’t really have people walking in the door.”
Javier, a Certified Neuro-Identity Evolution Practitioner, Mindfulness Empowerment Coach, and Trauma-Informed Subconscious Transformation Coach, explained that the mixer was designed to help small businesses connect, collaborate, and grow together.
“This is just community bringing people together so they can connect, talk to each other about their businesses, and grow. It’s about growth,” she said.
She shared that her partnership with Nayak began through previous collaborations, including a gingerbread cookie decorating class held at Mister Croissant during the holidays.
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“We had two classes, and they were full within a day,” Javier recalled. “I love his place. I love his food, and the atmosphere is amazing here. I wanted to bring people to his place so they know where he’s at.”
A shared vision of collaboration
Nayak echoed the same philosophy, emphasizing that community is at the core of his business vision.
“My vision for any business is towards community,” Nayak said. “We are trying to connect all business owners, business to business, so we can help each other more and grow each other’s business.”
He described the event as a space for open dialogue among entrepreneurs. “People are connecting and talking about what their goals are, what difficulties they have, what opportunities they see, and how we can help each other overcome those difficulties,” he said.
As a relatively new business, LaFATA’s Eatery also used the event as an opportunity to introduce itself to more residents.
“We want people to know what LaFATA’s is,” Nayak explained. “We have good sandwiches, soup, Italian sodas, beer and wine. It’s not a fast pace. You can come here, relax, and enjoy the calmness of the space.”
Looking ahead: more events and deeper impact
Both Javier and Nayak shared plans for upcoming events. Nayak announced that LaFATA’s is preparing a special Valentine’s Day experience. “On Feb.14, we’re planning a set menu for couples — a seven-course menu — so people can come, sit, and enjoy the experience here at LaFATA’s,” he said.
Javier also outlined a full calendar of community-focused programming. “In February, we have a Valentine’s event at Autismo Café. In April, which is Autism Awareness Month, we’ll have speakers and bring the community together,” she said. “You cannot grow by yourself. Community, networking, collaboration — that is the key to success.”
She emphasized that supporting one another is essential, especially during slower months for small businesses. “If we don’t host events and we don’t help each other, how do we grow? How do we make it through?” she said. “The best promotion, the best referral, is word of mouth.”
Supporting families and special needs communities
Among the attendees was Diana Alago, an agent with New York Life Insurance Company, who has partnered with Javier on numerous community initiatives focused on special needs families.
“We partner on many events,” Alago said. “We did a special needs resource fair where we brought companies together that provide services to special needs families — things like therapy with horses, yoga, and meditation for children.”
She shared that her team is now planning to host similar resource fairs quarterly in 2026 at different locations to reach more families. “A lot of families don’t know what services are available to them,” Alago said. “These fairs help them see what might help their children and their families.”
Alago also explained her personal mission as a financial professional. “I help special needs families create financial strategies for the future,” she said. “Government assistance is often not enough. We need other strategies to make sure the child is okay when the parents are no longer here.”
Her daughter, Vanessa Alago, also an agent with New York Life, attended the event alongside her.
A true ‘new beginning’
Throughout the evening, one theme remained consistent: collaboration over competition.
“If we do things with the right mindset and heart, we attract abundance,” Javier said. “We refer each other. We support each other. That’s how community works.”
As Middletown continues to foster a strong small-business ecosystem, events like the “New Beginnings Mixer” at LaFATA’s Eatery highlight how food, purpose, and connection can come together — creating not just successful businesses, but a stronger community.
