Happy Holidays! (See you in 2012.)

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Please note that Seton Hill University and the E-Magnify offices are closed for the holidays and will reopen on January 2, 2012.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners' $50,000 Business Plan Contest

Could you use $50,000 to develop your big idea into a business?

The Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum, in partnership with Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA, are holding their BIG IDEA Business Plan Contest. This contest is for tech-based start up companies who want to further develop and grow a business in the 32-county footprint served by the program in Pennsylvania.  The grand prize winner will receive $50,000.

To qualify for the contest, you must meet the following qualifications:

    •    be located in one of the 32 counties served by the program (see a list of eligible counties here);
    •    have a new, marketable business idea that includes a commercialization plan;
    •    have no significant sales if a product has already been developed;
    •    have fewer than 50 employees if a company has been formed; and
    •    have not received previous Ben Franklin funding.

The deadline for applications is February 29, 2012.

For more information, description of rules, entry forms, and FAQs visit http://bigidea.benfranklin.org.

Preferred industry sectors include, but are not limited to, nanotechnology, green technologies, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, information technology, and software.

New Faces at E-Magnify

E-Magnify welcomes Debra L. Mason as the Center's newest full-time staff member. Debra joins the E-Magnify team as Manager of Education and Training.

Debra will support the Center’s entrepreneurship educational and training initiatives, including its online and in-person workshops, seminars, and symposiums.

Debra brings a unique mix of qualifications to her new position. She has worked in large corporations, nonprofits, higher education, and as a business owner. Debra spent ten years with Xerox Corporation, where she worked in sales, staffing and development, and client operations. She has also served as the Director of the Office of Racial Diversity and Inclusion for YWCA Greater Pittsburgh. In 2004 she started her own firm, Victory Management, an organizational management and employee consulting/ training business specializing in diversity and leadership skills. She has been an adjunct business professor at Geneva College since 2005.

"As a business owner myself, I understand what women are looking for to elevate their businesses," says Debra. "I look forward to helping E-Magnify's clients take their businesses to the next level through practical, useable training. I love combining business theory with real-world solutions that actually work."

In 2011 Debra received the New Pittsburgh Courier 50 Women Of Excellence award and was a panelist for the City of Pittsburgh's DiverseCity 365. She has previously served as the managing director of Pittsburgh's eWomenNetwork and as president-elect of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). In addition, Debra was the 2007 NAWBO National Conference Speaker and received the 2006 NAWBO Member of the Year Award (Pittsburgh Chapter). 

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Also joining the E-Magnify team are two new independent contractors. 

Melanie Ansell will serve as one of E-Magnify's Business Counselors, providing free, one-on-one sessions to women business owners and those interested in starting a business. She has also been named the manager of the ATHENAPowerLink Program for Southwestern Pennsylvania. Melanie has a long history in finance and served as the regional president for First Commonwealth Bank for nine years. She is co-owner of My Business Builders, LLC, a consulting firm where she specializes in entrepreneurial development.

Jennifer McGuiggan joins the E-Magnify team as the Marketing Communications Coordinator. She previously worked in a similar staff role at the Center from 2001 to 2006. During her time with E-Magnify she founded The Word Cellar, a freelance writing, editing, and creative coaching business, which has now brought her full circle as she adds the Center to her list of clients.

Please join us in welcoming Debra, Melanie, and Jennifer by leaving a comment below. 

This Saturday: Shop Small!

Want to make a huge difference to your local economy? Shop at small, local businesses this Saturday (Nov. 26).

Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is encouraging every American to support small businesses by doing some of their holiday shopping on the Saturday after Thanksgiving at small businesses.

“Small businesses are the foundation of our economy – half of America’s workers either own or work for a small business,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills.  “Small Business Saturday® is an opportunity to show our support for our friends and neighbors who throughout the year are growing our local economy, as well as supporting many local initiative and organizations.”

Nov. 26 marks the second annual Small Business Saturday®, a day to support the local small businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. First there was Black Friday, and then Cyber Monday, and now Small Business Saturday® will help drive shoppers to America’s job creators. Small businesses have generated two out of every three net new jobs over the past 15 years and employ over half of all private sector employees.

For more information on how to support Small Business Saturday® in your area, check out www.sba.gov/saturday or visit Facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday and follow them on Twitter @SBAgov, #SmallBizSat.

What's new on e-magnify.com?

As you may have noticed, e-magnify.com has a new look -- and this new blog! Here you'll find news about E-Magnify's programs and services, links to useful resources, and information you can use to start or grow your business. 

Don't miss a thing!
This blog will now be our main point of communication with you. Please subscribe to the blog to receive updates (in your email) on the days we post new content. It's easy to subscribe: just enter your email address in the "Subscribe" box to the right. 

You can also add us to your feed reader and stay up-to-date with us that way. (Please note that the RSS feed has changed, so you'll need to update your feed reader if you were using the old feed.)


What else is new? 
We've updated the look and feel of the whole site, as well as some of the content. One noticeable change is the addition of three "pathways" designed to help you find the most pertinent resources for the stage of business you're in. We call them our "Three E's," and you'll see them featured on the homepage. As we grow the site's content, the resources under each of these sections will grow too

Do you have a business idea or are just starting out? This section is for you if you're in the Entry stage of business. Here you'll find a handy assessment tool from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help you determine your readiness (and next steps) for small business ownership. You can also register for a free, one-on-one counseling session with an E-Magnify business counselor.

So you've had your business for awhile now, and you're looking to grow it. When you're no longer a start-up but still on your way to reaching your goals, we call that an Emerging business. In this section you'll find resources such as free business counseling, connection to peers and a personalized advisory board, and business training to help you take your enterprise to the next level.

As your business has grown, so have the challenges and opportunities you're facing. The resources in the Established business section can help you get a handle on issues such as human resources, government contracting, and importing/exporting. For peer-to-peer and advisory board support, check out the Women Presidents’ Organization and ATHENAPowerLink^®.

Our center has been providing resources and assistance to women business owners for more than 20 years, and we're excited about this next chapter online. Please take a look around and let us know what you think.

Small Business Saturday: Nov. 26

E-Magnify is pleased to support the second annual Small Business Saturday on November 26, 2011. Small Business Saturday is a day for dedicating a portion of holiday shopping to local, independently-owned small businesses.

American Express, the founding sponsor of Small Business Saturday, created the national program in 2010 in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: more demand for their products and services. The second event will build on last year’s inaugural program that drove millions of dollars to main street merchants.

Small business owners can visit Facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday to download online promotional materials that will help them drive sales to their business on Small Business Saturday.

American Express is giving $100 of free Facebook advertising to 10,000 business owners who sign up at facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday to help build online buzz and drive customers to their stores on Small Business Saturday.

American Express is also giving a $25 statement credit to 200,000 Cardmembers who register their Card and use it to shop on Small Business Saturday at any locally-owned, independent small business that accepts American Express.

Learn more at Facebook.com/smallbusinesssaturday or www.smallbusinesssaturday.com.

Women in Business Awards Nominations

Nominations are now being accepted for  2012 Women in Business Awards, presented by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

The awards honor the region's most influential business women at both for-profits and non-profits. A nominee must be a female resident of western Pennsylvania who is employed in the region and should be an established business leader with a strong record of innovation in her field, outstanding performance in her business or non-profit, and/or a clear track record of meaningful community involvement. Nominees do not have to be the owners or presidents of their organizations. Self-nominations are welcome.

Nominations will be judged on the following three criteria:

• professional accomplishments, 
• community leadership
• as well as awards and milestones.

For more information on the 2012 Women in Business Awards, including additional nomination details, please visit www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/nomination/4581.