Speakers present opportunities for small businesses
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Debra Mason, education/training manager for the E-Magnify program at Seton Hill University, speaks in Connellsville recently about the assistance the program provides small businesses.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Participants listen to guest speakers during a lunch-and-learn program Tuesday in Connellsville. The session was presented by the Fayette County Cultural Trust, in partnership with the Seton Hill University E-Magnify program, and other various Connellsville agencies. It was sponsored by Charleroi Federal Savings Bank.
CONNELLSVILLE — Snow and ice prevented two keynote speakers from attending Connellsville’s second lunch-and-learn session on Tuesday, Feb 18.
But it didn’t stop local community members from filling up the Canteen’s coffee shop on West Crawford Avenue to network and to learn about the plethora of opportunities out there for small businesses.
“Last month we had Bill Flanagan from the Allegheny Conference and Mike Jordan from Fay Penn give us perspective on the regional and our local economy and what things are going on. We are going to continue to drill that down,” said Michael Edwards, Connellsville Redevelopment Authority executive director.
Debra Mason, education/training manager for the E-Magnify program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, informed those in attendance about the opportunities the program, which covers a 27-county area in southwestern Pennsylvania, provides to businesses.
“We work together on a lot of programs to help women start and grow businesses,” she said.
According to Mason, the program assists its clients in three ways.
The first way is through free, one-hour counseling sessions.
The program also mentors its clients.
One mentoring program is the Women Presidents’ Organization, which focuses on women whose businesses bring in at least $1 million a year.
And the third avenue through which Seton Hill E-Magnify assists its clients is education and training.
“Education/training sponsors programs such as this, where we go out into the community and provide all types of information to … the business community, to let them know what the possibilities are,” Mason said.
In April, Seton Hill will host a “Business Blitz” in the community.
The university will bring their business consultants to Connellsville to meet one-on-one with businesses that request the service.
“Based on the findings from the consultants, they will suggest an array of classes that will be offered to the public,” Edwards said.
Edwards noted that all of the information the businesses provide will be confidential.
Also during Tuesday’s lunch-and-learn session, Julie Donovan, vice president of public relations for the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau (LHVB), spoke to the group about how the bureau can be an asset to local businesses.
As a destination marketing organization, LHVB’s mission is to promote businesses in the Laurel Highlands.
“We’re helping drive the economy and put money in your community,” she said.
Each year, LHVB invests more than $1 million in an annual promotional budget, Donovan said.
One of LHVB’s largest investments is in laurelhighlands.org.
“That is the website that all visitors go to,” she said. “That is critical, because once they land on that site, they go off to your businesses … and that’s how they get more information.”
The website is going through a “major redesign,” and will launch in the spring.
“It’s a significant investment,” she said.
Donovan also discussed the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) — an asset to businesses in Fayette County.
“You are so fortunate. There are communities across the United States who would give anything to have an asset like the Great Allegheny Passage in their back yard,” she said.
“Because of the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people who are on it, and it’s just going to continue to grow.”
Tourists spent $1.8 billion in the Laurel Highlands in 2012, and about $643 million was spent in Fayette County, Donovan said.
According to Donovan, the LHVB designates a significant portion of its marketing dollars to the trail, and is now partnering with Visit Pittsburgh to complete a marketing campaign.
“We’re working together to promote the trail,” she said. “We are out there promoting it, trying to drives those hundreds of thousands of trail users to the trail for you.”
Donovan encouraged those in attendance to participate in cleanup days. The city is hosting a major city-wide cleanup day on April 12.
“What do they (tourists) see when they enter the area?” she asked.
The lunch-and-learn session was presented by the Fayette County Cultural Trust in partnership with the Seton Hill University E-Magnify program, and other various Connellsville agencies. It was sponsored by Charleroi Federal Savings Bank.
The next luncheon will be held on March 18 at the Connellsville Canteen.