Kutztown University Small Business 

Development Center Newsletter 

Helping businesses start, grow, and prosper.

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Issue C

February 15, 2012

 

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."

-John F. Kennedy

 

 

New Workshop Offering from the KU SBDC

 

4/4/12 - How to Start and Operate a Small Business (Zoning and Codes edition)

Berks County Community Foundation Building, 237 Courts St. Reading, PA 19610 

 

During the past several months I conducted 10 in-depth interviews with our pre-venture clients who attended various learning programs offered through our program. One thing I learned through listening to this group of clients is that they often hit obstacles in opening their business with various codes, permitting and zoning issues at the municipal level. 

 

With this knowledge from our clients our curriculum team approached the City of Reading zoning, permitting and codes office to see how they might be able to help address this need. The City manager in charge of these departments offered to become part of a new monthly workshop that we will begin offering the first Wednesday of every month at our downtown Reading office. This new workshop will build form our highly successful How to Start and Operate a Small Business workshop in Exton.  

 

This new workshop will feature an attorney speaking about the different legal entities, partnership and operating agreements. Then after the legal presentation, an accountant discusses the various business and personal implications of each legal entity that an entrepreneur might select to use as their organizational structure. Following this discussion there will be a general presentation on the uniform municipal codes that are relevant to all municipalities in the Commonwealth and then a general understanding of zoning, permitting processes and historical districts will be discussed.

 

Following the workshop the presenters will be available along with our Small Business Development Center consultants to schedule confidential one-to-one meetings to get your specific questions answered. The program will be structured so that you can come to all three presentations or come for one presentation that is most relevant to your needs. We are excited about this new workshop and we look forward to the launch of the workshop on Wednesday, April 4 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. 

 

Cost: $15

 

Click here to register for this workshop. 

 

 

 

Success Story of the Month

Stell Environmental Enterprises, Inc.

 

After 15 years of experience and learning the industry inside out, they felt like they were ready to create their own company. In October of 2003 Mary Jane and Todd started doing research and business plan development, and after half a year of planning and preparation Stell Environmental Enterprises, Inc. was successfully established.

 

Learn more about how Stell Environmental Enterprises worked to overcome obstacles to find success by reading the full story here.

 

 

Featured Blog Article

 

Small businesses should be more like whom?

 

If there was ever going to be an example of what a small business should be more like, the Beatles probably would not appear on the list. While a band is not the same as running a small business, the effort to make it successful and well-known is the goal that they both strive for. By using the same tactics and outlook that made the Beatles succeed with a meteoric rise, a small business can set a foundation that a future can be built on. 

 

The author, John Greathouse, speaks of several ways that improving how a business is built from the ground up can effect how it will eventually succeed. Greathouse says that first of all, a drive to succeed within realistic goals can allow for future exploration of what can be done with a business. Second, assembling a varied group of individuals to start from will allow the business to thrive, with everyone working on the same aspect in the same manner can be harmful. Greathouse continues with several other key points that could help a small business owner make a structured plan for the future, with the foundation to continue building success. 

 

Note* Screaming hordes of fans may or may not follow.

 

Read the full article, Be the Beatles, Not a Flock of Seagulls. 

 

 

University Students Bring Ideas to Life

 

Eleven teams presented their business plan to a panel of judges and the winning team received $500.

 

Students were to create a business plan from scratch, including marketing, financial & advertising aspects. This competition was beneficial to KU students as it provided a real working experience and a culture of entrepreneurship.

 

Watch a video of the students sharing their ideas here.

 

 

Berks Business Weekly

 

The Reading Eagle has launched a new section focused on Berks County business, local companies, local people.

 

Published every Tuesday, the most recent information on Berks County business can be found in print or online here.

 

Connect with the KU SBDC on Social Media

 

Co-Sponsored Workshops
Delivered by:

Exton, PA - Click for online registration

 

3/1/12 - Business Planning Part I

 

3/8/12 - Business Planning Part II

 

3/15/12 - Business Planning Part III

 

3/22/12 - Business Planning Part IV

 

Lancaster, PA

Click here for workshop calendar and online registration

 

Reading, PA

Click here for workshop calendar and registration information

 

 

 

Upcoming Workshops and Events

 

 

2/16/12- Basics of Government Marketing - Webinar

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Delivered online

 

This Webinar covers the first steps a small business needs to take to prepare for doing business with the Federal and State Governments. It offers an overview of the codes and registrations, explanation of small business certifications, potential strategies small businesses can use when approaching this market, and tips for marketing your firm to federal and state agencies. This Webinar is open to Pennsylvania residents only. 

 

This Webinar is limited to six attendees. Registration closes on February 15. 

 

Presenter: Andrea Lewis, KU SBDC - Procurement Technical Assistance Center 

 

Cost: Free.

 

Click here to register for the event.

 

 

 

2/22/12 - How to Start and Operate a Small Business- Exton, PA

6:00pm - 8:30pm, Chester County Library, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton, PA 19341 

 

You have come to the right place if you are in the early stages of thinking about starting a small business. In fact, even if you have started up your business and realized you missed a few things, this workshop is still right for you. Starting a Small Business: If you are thinking about "becoming your own boss," this is a chance to get an overview of the things you need to know and the skills you need to have. Subjects include: legal issues, accounting issues, organization, and management. The workshop allows you to practice networking with other entrepreneurs. Existing business owners can use this workshop as a "checkup" on their operations.

 

This workshop is presented in partnership with the Small Business Assistance Center.

 

Cost: $15

 

Click here to register for this workshop. 

 

 

3/6/12 - Constant Contact Email Marketing

Berks County Community Foundation Building, 237 Courts St. Reading, PA 19610

 

8:30 a.m. Morning Registration

9:00 - 11:30 Why Your Email Doesn't Get Opened...and what you can do about it!

 

Email is everywhere - you can't reach for your phone anymore and not end up "doing " your email. Which in most cased involves hitting the delete button 9 times in a row.  Did you ever ask yourself why? Why did you get all of those emails in the first place? You didn't sign up for them. And secondly, they are useless to you.  Is the term eBlast part of your vocabulary? Should it be?

 

Constant Contact, the world's leader in Email marketing is going to show you why and what you can do about it. With so much noise being made about "open rates" we will demonstrate something much more important - Best Practices. Dave Yunghans, Constant Contact's Regional Director will show you what not to do and why - and include examples of what works - and why! This program is generic: It doesn't matter what email program you currently use, Best Practices apply everywhere. In the for-profit and in the non-profit world, much is at stake in this economy. Come and learn how you can be productive, trusted, and grow your business.

 

Cost: Free 

 

Click here to register for this workshop. 

 

1:00 p.m. Afternoon Registration

1:30 - 4:00 Engagement Rules! How do you engage your customers in this economy and inspire their loyalty?

 

 

How can you keep your customers coming back for more - telling their friends - and keep your business thriving? Learn how to inform, inspire, and create long-term meaningful connections with engagement marketing, building the relationships that build your success. You'll learn how to:

  • Take the excellent customer experience that you deliver and leverage that into connections that enable ongoing dialog.
  • Identify the right technology tools to multiply your impact, track your effectiveness and save you time and effort
  • Understand how to gain and interpret both direct and indirect feedback on how your customers, prospects and raving fans are perceiving you -- *and* what they are saying to their friends & colleagues
  • Create engaging content that encourages re-sharing - how to deliver content that starts and sustains discussions, and how to make sure that content is sharable (even broadcastable!)
  • Sum it up: learn the five key steps to success with engagement marketing.

The two questions this seminar will answer:

1)      How do I generate more repeat business from existing customers?

2)      How do I get my customers to refer my business to others?

 

Cost: Free

 

Click here to register for this workshop. 

 

 

3/13/12 - Certification Made Simple

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, 3211 N. Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17110-1342

 

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

   

Looking for help with state certification? Attend this free, informational session where a representative from the Department of General Services, Bureau of Minority and Women Business Opportunities (BMWBO), will:

 

*Discuss and review the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) certification application.

 

*Guide participants step-by-step through the Application for Certification as a Minority or Women Business Enterprise.

 

Presenter(s): Curtis Burwell, Dept. of General Services Co-sponsor(s): Dept. of General Services

 

Cost: Free

 

Click here to register for the event.

 

 

3/20/12 - Doing Business with the Commonwealth of PA

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, 3211 N. Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17110-1342

 

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

 

Workshop topics include: 

*Finding opportunities with the State 

*State contracting procedures 

*State resources for small businesses, and 

*Certification for minority-owned and women-owned businesses.

 

Presenter: Curtis Burwell, Dept. of General Services Co-sponsor: Dept. of General Services 

 

Cost: Free

 

Click here to register for the event.

 

 

3/21/12 - How to Start and Operate a Small Business- Exton, PA

6:00pm - 8:30pm, Chester County Library, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton, PA 19341 

 

You have come to the right place if you are in the early stages of thinking about starting a small business. In fact, even if you have started up your business and realized you missed a few things, this workshop is still right for you. Starting a Small Business: If you are thinking about "becoming your own boss," this is a chance to get an overview of the things you need to know and the skills you need to have. Subjects include: legal issues, accounting issues, organization, and management. The workshop allows you to practice networking with other entrepreneurs. Existing business owners can use this workshop as a "checkup" on their operations.

 

This workshop is presented in partnership with the Small Business Assistance Center.

 

Cost: $15

 

Click here to register for this workshop. 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read our newsletter. We appreciate your participation in the KU SBDC community.

 

Sincerely,

 


Ernie Post, Director
Kutztown University Small Business Development Center