University of Scranton Small Business Center Development News Members News September 13, 2023 Gretchen Kukuchka Honored as Pennsylvania’s State Star at SBDC Annual Conference Gretchen Kukuchka, Business Consultant, has been named the (Pennsylvania) State Star, an award celebrating outstanding performance and client satisfaction, and recently had the opportunity to celebrate the award at America’s SBDC 44th annual conference during the State Star Reception. The State Star Award is the highest honor that the PASBDC awards, celebrating one exceptional individual who has truly made a difference in their state network. Develop a Strong Business Idea in 8 Simple Steps Tuesday, 9/19/23 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Discover the essential steps to turn your business idea into a reality. This webinar will guide you through: Choosing your business idea: Learn how to select a viable business concept. Resource assessment: Understand the financial and time commitments required. Navigating industry regulations: Get insights on industry-specific rules. Target market definition: Identify your ideal customers. Competitive advantage: Determine what sets you apart from competitors. Business plan writing: Recognize the importance of a well-structured business plan. Register here. Applications Are Now Open for StartUP’s Fall Series StartUP is a six-week series where participants learn through live sessions on Zoom and meet weekly on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Sessions kick off on Tuesday, September 26. Topics covered include: Business start-up basics Legal and insurance considerations Marketing and social media essentials Business plan development Accounting and budget skills Financing options and requirements Goal setting and other essential skills… Apply here. Horizon Farm Credit Announces Third Annual ‘Farmers on the Rise’Award Competition Horizon Farm Credit is hosting the third annual Farmers on the Rise award competition this fall. Established in 2021, the Farmers on the Rise program was created to honor outstanding beginning farmers (three to ten years of experience) within the diverse agricultural community who excel in their field. This year’s program will award up to ten $10,000 awards. The application is now open and closes on October 6, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. Visit the link below for additional details, including eligibility requirements. Learn more here. Creative Entrepreneurs: You May Be Eligible for Financial Support from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Partner Organizations The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the PCA’s Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) partner organizations are pleased to make available the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program. This program is designed to pair access to existing small business consulting services with financial resources up to $2,000 for creative entrepreneurs who aspire to start their own for-profit business or who operate an existing for-profit micro business Learn more here. Master Online Marketing for Freewith this Webinar from the PennWest Clarion SBDC Tuesday, 9/19/23 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Getting your business online is one thing, making sure the content is engaging and actionable is another. Now, more than ever, businesses need to have a strong brand and web presence. Doing so can seem overwhelming, from a time and monetary perspective. This webinar will go over tips and tricks to marketing online that cost $0! We will go over no-cost solutions to help you create and diversify your marketing, such as Canva, Unsplash, Bit.ly, and a few other free programs. Register here.
