Mar 18, 2024 By Amy Fauth 4 min read

Entrepreneurs are free-minded, independent thinkers who are willing to take a gamble on an idea and themselves. However, with that kind of mindset, sometimes it’s hard to ask for help. That’s where Entrepreneurs Forever can help.

Entrepreneurs Forever is a nationally growing program that helps small business owners identify and overcome challenges by connecting them with each other through virtual monthly meetings led by a dedicated facilitator, who is often a small business owner too.

And now, thanks to a federal grant, Entrepreneurs Forever is expanding its reach to 300 small business owners in Western Pennsylvania, including a finite number in Fayette County, for free.

The organization launched its Fayette County program with an event Thursday at the Grayson House in partnership with Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, The Redstone Foundation, the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and county officials.

Tamara Abney, vice president of community relations for Entrepreneurs Forever, presented the program which will be free to county business owners thanks to the grant.

According to Abney, Entrepreneurs Forever is about more than just networking. It’s a peer group that is uniquely designed to offer a critical piece to a small business’s success: cohort support. The program is unique because it’s designed for businesses with revenue under $1 million to help them grow to the next step.

The commitment is one two-hour session per month, but it’s not a casual meetup. In order to have an impact on fellow members, and in order for them to impact other businesses, attendance is a must.

It’s appropriate that Entrepreneurs Forever expand to Southwestern Pennsylvania as it was founded here and now offers support to over 1,000 small business owners across four states.

Thursday’s event not only introduced the program to small business owners in Fayette County, but demonstrated the value of peer support as business owners split into small groups to talk about some of the challenges they’ve experienced running their businesses.

The activity was led by Donald Robinson, a small business owner from Pittsburgh, who joined Entrepreneurs Forever four years ago after experiencing obstacles with his business and finding he needed help. He’s now a facilitator for the nonprofit organization and leads his own cohort.

Representatives from the county partners were in attendance at the event, including all three commissioners.

As a business owner himself, Commissioner Dave Lohr understands the value of small business – not only Fayette County’s economy, but to the whole country’s.

“I started my business 39 ½ years ago when I came out of the Navy – on my own, from scratch,” said Lohr. “It’s kind of nice to have some support like this to help younger people, older people whoever it may be starting a business and making it run because this is the basis of financial strength in our country.”

At the end of the evening, Entrepreneurs Forever assisted business owners interested in signing up for the program through entrepreneursforever.org or via paper applications.

In order to sign up, businesses must have been operating for at least a year, have revenue between $30,000 and $1 million and the owner must work at the business full-time. However, organization representatives encouraged everyone to apply, because they can work with individual business owners on the process.

Once a business owner applies, they will go through a process that includes taking an assessment and then being placed with their cohort. Applicants can be grouped with other business owners they know or choose to be in a cohort that has members from another area. There are over 40 groups in existence, so organizers said there’s plenty of room.

For more information, visit entrepreneursforever.org.