Scholarships for CORE FOUR® Business Planning Course

Scholarships are available! Enrollment is normally $300, but you can still register for just $150 (includes textbook and all materials). 

Are you starting a new business or growing a current business?

Do you need help developing your business ideas and writing a business plan?

Join us for the next CORE FOUR® Business Planning Course. (Class starts November 5.)

Topics include:

• Marketing Plan Preparation
• Business Plan Preparation
• Cash Flow Projections
• Business Operating Procedures

Class Dates: November 5, 12, 10, and December 3, 2014
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. (all classes)
Location: 131 West Crawford Avenue, Connellsville, PA

Presented by Downtown Connellsville, E-Magnify, and SBA.

Class size is limited. Learn more and register here.

October is Women's Small Business Month

Did you know that October is Women's Small Business Month? (Of course, if you are a woman who owns a small business, every month is women's small business month for you!)

But as October closes in on November and businesses everywhere ramp up for the holiday shopping season, it's good to take a moment to reflect on the state of women-owned small businesses.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration:

The face of entrepreneurship is changing in America. Women-owned small businesses are one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy and are helping us recover from the Great Recession.

Yet, there are still profound challenges women small business owners face – lack of access to capital and resources, lack of knowledge about business basics, and lack of financial education. Women entrepreneurs should not be discouraged or be deterred for these reasons.

E-Magnify provides vital services and resources to help women overcome the challenges they face in today's economy.

"As an SBA women's business center, E-Magnify provides no-cost, direct client counseling for women interested in starting a business or growing an existing business," says Jayne H. Huston, director of E-Magnify. "Our business counselors understand the unique challenges that women entrepreneurs face. E-Magnify brings more than 20 years of expertise and education to women at all stages of business, from entry to emerging through established. As far as we're concerned here at E-Magnify, every month is women's small business month!"

You can learn more about E-Magnify's counseling, training, and mentoring services online, or contact us to learn how we can help you with your business. We love hearing from you!

SBA Launches New HUBZones Initiative

Destination: HUB will boost HUBZones in the federal marketplace.

The Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Maria Contreras-Sweet, announced the launch of Destination: HUB. For over 17 years, the HUBZone program has served as one of SBA’s signature initiatives and has helped small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities.

The program encourages economic development and employment growth in distressed areas by providing opportunities for firms to become active participants in the federal supply chain.

Destination HUB will consist of three major components:

1. an in-depth examination of successes and needs in the HUBZone program;
2. analysis of ideal situations for successful HUBZone collaboration, harnessing the power of public-private partnerships and market research to recruit more firms for HUBZone participation; and 
3. launching a broad  grassroots educational initiative, together with community organizations, faith leaders, local economic development, and key stakeholders, to encourage participation in and inspire collective ownership of, the HUBZone program, at both the regional and national levels. 

As a result, Destination HUB furthers SBA’s effort to improve access to capital and close opportunity gaps in communities of color, by empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners economic and social mobility through employment and business growth.

Destination: HUB will promote and highlight HUBZones for opportunities in federal procurement.
“More than any other SBA initiative, the HUBZone Program has been a critical resource, creating jobs, alleviating poverty and reducing unemployment in our nation’s most vulnerable communities.  The program has had a transformational effect on small businesses all across the country. SBA’s Destination: HUB will put a spotlight on our underserved small businesses and promote HUBZones as ideal places for government contractors to do business,” said Contreras-Sweet.

To see if your area is a designated HUBZone and to apply for the program, visit www.sba.gov/content/applying-hubzone-program.

E-Magnify Director Mentors at Women's Mentoring Symposium

E-Magnify Director Jayne Huston (right) congratulates
Colleen O’Hara (left) and Jacqueline  McDevitt (center),
co-founders of Phan Cave and winners of the 2014
NAWBO PA Business Plan Competition.

E-Magnify Director Jayne Huston served as a mentor during the Speed Mentoring session at the Women's Mentorship Symposium, presented by the Pennsylvania Commission for Women on September 30, 2014. The half-day event, which was held in Pittsburgh, focused on the critical importance of mentorship on women’s personal and professional success. The Speed Mentoring program provided a structured, fast-paced setting for women to interact with one another to discuss topics such as work-life balance, career transition, and salary negotiation. Senior level women in a variety of professional fields served as mentors for the program.

The Symposium also featured a Business Plan Competition, presented by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). The contest, which featured a $10,000 cash prize, was open to women business owners in Pennsylvania who started their business on or after January 1, 2012. The judging panel included Lori Greiner (entrepreneur and star shark on the television show “Shark Tank”), Julia Hearthway (Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry), and Reneé Amoore (founder and president of The Amoore Group, Inc.). The winners of the competition were Colleen O’Hara and Jacqueline McDevitt, co-founders of Philadelphia-based Phan Cave. 

Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Award Winners

L-R: Suzy Teele (COO Snap Retail & ATHENA Award Finalist); Ashley White (SHU Sophomore);
Jayne Huston (E-Magnify Director); Lee Ann Munger (PowerLink Director)

Congratulations to E-Magnify friends Diana Holder and Amelia Papapetropoulos, winners of the 2014 Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Awards. Diane (Executive Vice President, UPMC, President, UPMC Insurance Services Division, President & CEO, UPMC Health Plan) received the ATHENA Award. Amelia (Sales Manager, Lightning Energy Services) received the ATHENA Young Professional Award.

We also extend our congratulations to all of the nominees, finalists, and winners, including our own nominee Suzy Teele, COO of SnapRetail, who was a finalist for the ATHENA Award.

The Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Award recognizes exceptional women who demonstrate excellence in their profession, contribute to their community and help other women to succeed through mentorship. Winners were honored on September 29 at the 2014 ATHENA & ATHENA Young Professional Awards Luncheon, held at the Westin Convention Center Hotel in Pittsburgh.