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One event space, one social media hub, under one roof

It was only when Aryeh Rifkin lost his voice that he finally found it. It was 2010 when the then-real-estate developer — having already been through a series of personal and professional challenges — discovered that he had stage 4 laryngeal cancer. After he had surgery to get rid of the disease, he spent time completely mute, and that was when he decided he wanted to transition into a different career.
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April 23, 2015

It was only when Aryeh Rifkin lost his voice that he finally found it.

It was 2010 when the then-real-estate developer — having already been through a series of personal and professional challenges — discovered that he had stage 4 laryngeal cancer. After he had surgery to get rid of the disease, he spent time completely mute, and that was when he decided he wanted to transition into a different career.

“It was the best time of my life experiencing these challenges,” he said. “I couldn’t speak anymore, so I decided that I wanted to go into technology.”

The result is Social Dashboard, a social media management site with a physical work and event space in Pico-Robertson catering to the Jewish community.

The virtual part of the enterprise, launched last fall, is meant to help content creators cut through the mass of information on the Internet and get their voices heard. Rifkin said he wanted a way for bloggers, journalists, marketers and businesses to maximize the power of their content.

If users log on to the website (socialdashboard.com), they can blog via a free “soapbox,” a tool that lets them post content and share it on every social media site. The site can also be used for search engine optimization, and it gives users the option to make profits off their postings.

“When people post their content, we give those people sponsors, and they can get paid,” Rifkin said. “They can make a couple of thousand dollars per month in revenue.”

Local user Jeffrey Benton, who works as a chiropractor in Mid-Wilshire, said the soapbox platform has made marketing simpler for him.

“I’m finding it very helpful to get the word out there about me,” he said. “I usually use LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.  It saves me a lot of time, and I think the setup is really easy.”

Rifkin said his goal is to help everyone promote themselves — experienced with social media and blogging or not.

The 3,000-square-foot physical location of Social Dashboard features televisions on the walls, couches, workspaces and a bar for serving food and drinks, all of which are 100 percent kosher. Rifkin, an observant Jew, said the space is intended to serve two specific purposes.

“It’s a technology office by day and Jewish venue hall by night,” he said.

A number of events for the Jewish community have taken place there. Rifkin put on a Purim party in March, and for Lag b’Omer, he’s bringing in the Moshav band and organizing a barbecue. On May 30, a Jewish singles get-together featuring an improv team will be held. He’s also renting out the space for birthdays, brit milah ceremonies, engagement parties and other simchas.

Brocha Yemini of Chabad’s Westside Hebrew School has held two events at Social Dashboard so far. One was a young women’s Purim gathering, the other a birthday party for Rabbi Amitai Yemini, executive director of Chabad Israel Center.

“The venue gives a different feeling than a carpeted hall that’s used all the time,” she said. “It’s modern, and it really gave the vibe I was looking for that evening.”

Rifkin is happy to be giving back to his community. He said he’s going to keep renting out the space for lower costs than similar venues, and charge little to no entry fees for the events held there.

“We want to turn this into a nice, inexpensive community venue for everybody,” he said. n

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