By ANTHONY RIZZO
SPECIAL TO PASCACK PRESS
PASCACK VALLEY—If someone asked me what has shaped my life most, I wouldn’t point to a single job, organization, or accomplishment. I’d point to the people I’ve met along the way.
Growing up, I never imagined my career would revolve around building relationships. Looking back, I can see that every chapter of my professional life was preparing me for the next, even when I couldn’t see it at the time.
My journey began with summer jobs at the Washington Township Recreation Center, where I worked as a lifeguard, swim instructor, and eventually a manager. At first, it was simply a summer job, but it quickly became much more.
I learned that responsibility isn’t something you are handed with a title. It is earned through the trust people place in you.
As a lifeguard, I knew that staying focused could one day save a life. As a swim instructor, I learned that teaching children wasn’t just about helping them master a skill. It was about earning their confidence, helping them overcome fear, and giving their parents peace of mind.
Those early experiences taught me that leadership begins with trust, a lesson that has stayed with me throughout every chapter of my career.
Today, as the owner and publisher of Pascack Valley City Lifestyle and Northern Highlands City Lifestyle, I often tell people that I don’t really sell advertising. I tell stories and help build brands
When someone opens one of our magazines, I hope they discover a local business they have never visited, a nonprofit they didn’t know existed, or a neighbor doing remarkable work without asking for recognition. Every issue is an opportunity to remind people that meaningful things are happening just a few miles from home.
It is easy to overlook the place where you live. We drive the same roads, pass the same storefronts, and become so familiar with our surroundings that we stop seeing them. My work has given me the privilege of looking closer.
Over the years, I have come to realize that people don’t buy into a title. They buy into a person.
Whether it is a child trusting you to teach them how to swim, a business owner investing in your vision, or a volunteer giving time to a cause, it all begins with trust. Trust is not built through promises or credentials. It is built by showing up, doing what you say you are going to do, and being there consistently.
The people I admire most understand that. They are the first to volunteer, lend a hand, or introduce two people who should know each other. They do not seek recognition. They simply show up.
They have taught me that consistency is one of the most powerful forms of leadership.
I have also learned that relationships compound. One introduction leads to another opportunity. One act of kindness inspires someone else to pay it forward. One volunteer experience creates friendships that last for years. I have seen this happen time and again throughout the Pascack Valley and beyond.
After serving as vice president and now stepping into the role of president of the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce, I have gained an even deeper appreciation for what leadership means.
It is not about having a title or being the person with all the answers. It is about bringing people together, listening, building consensus, and creating opportunities for others to succeed. The Chamber’s greatest strength is not simply helping businesses grow; it is creating meaningful connections among business owners, nonprofit organizations, schools, municipalities, and community leaders. Those relationships spark ideas, create partnerships, and strengthen the communities we call home.
That same lesson has carried through my involvement with Meals on Wheels North Jersey, Bergen Volunteers, Park Ridge Rotary, and other organizations that have become an important part of my life.
Some of the most influential people I have met are not the loudest voices in the room. They are the ones setting up chairs before everyone arrives, delivering meals on a snowy afternoon, mentoring someone without expecting anything in return, or making an introduction simply because they want someone else to succeed.
Those moments rarely make headlines, but they are the moments that hold a community together.
People often ask whether I am in the publishing or advertising business.
I don’t think I am.
I believe I am in the trust business.
Every story we publish represents someone’s reputation. Every photograph captures a moment a family may treasure forever. Every issue becomes part of the history of our communities. That is a responsibility I do not take lightly.
Our magazines exist to celebrate the people, organizations, and local businesses that make this area such a wonderful place to live. Being able to witness the community from this perspective has made me deeply optimistic.
In a world that often feels divided, local communities remind us what is possible when people choose connection over isolation and collaboration over competition.
If there is one lesson I hope to carry forward, it is that none of us builds a meaningful life alone.
Every opportunity I have received came because someone believed in me, opened a door, made an introduction, or offered encouragement at exactly the right moment. I owe far more to this community than I could ever repay.
If I can do anything in return, I hope it is helping others make those same connections.
Because when I think about what has shaped me most, it is not the positions I have held or the organizations I have been fortunate enough to serve.
It is the people.
And in my experience, there is no greater investment we can make than investing in our community and in one another.
Editor’s note: This week, Pascack Press continues “In My Experience,” an occasional series offering first-person reflections from people with stories and lessons to share. Our first contributor was Jimmy Wagner, a boxing coach since 2005, who has operated Pascack Boxing & Fitness since 2017 and began coaching wrestling in 2025. He wrote on self-defense and the relationship between physical training and mental health.
This week we hear from Anthony Rizzo, publisher of Pascack Valley City Lifestyle and Northern Highlands City Lifestyle and president of the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce, on the relationships that have shaped his career and his belief that trust, consistency, and connection are at the heart of strong communities.