Join us for our monthly seminar/webinar designed for people who are thinking about starting a business or who are in the early stages of starting. Our small business experts will share the key aspects of starting a business and help you determine if launching a business is right for you. The First Step to Small Business Success is being offered as an in-person program with an online/streaming option available upon request.

Topics covered include:

• Business structures
• How to assess the feasibility of your business idea
• Legal and tax implications of owning a business
• How to develop a business plan
• Funding options and how to compile a bank-ready financial package
• How to market your product or service
• Health and safety regulations that may apply to your business
• Where to find other resources that may help you succeed

Sponsored by: SCORE Mentors of Central PA

Instructions:

Advance registration is required.

The Ag Center of Excellence at the Penn State Small Business Development Center is hosting a free practical, informal financial forum for new and existing agricultural & food entities. This is your opportunity to learn how to evaluate your creditworthiness and learn the process for loans and grants that you need to build, diversify and grow your business.

Key Take Aways:

• Process in applying for loans & grants.

• Key questions to ask in the process.

• Preparing forms & going to a bank meeting.

• Networking with peers, bankers, decision-makers and multipliers

When companies export products or services, long payment terms can often create working capital challenges. The upfront cost of producing, shipping, and delivering the goods can be tricky for businesses to manage. Export finance helps businesses release working capital from cross-border or domestic trade transactions that would otherwise be tied up in invoices or purchase orders (for up to 180 days). Export finance is a form of specialist trade finance that can help a business grow and sell to a larger market. 

Organized by the Small Business Association and the PA Small Business Development Center, this is an interactive, practical workshop to assist new and existing exporters understand how to grow exports and finance sales, utilizing PA and U.S. government programs with commercial bank financing. We encourage interaction with attendees and panelist, especially using case studies and success stories to illustrate the example. The workshop will be offered in person and virtually.