PENNSYLVANIA AND FEDERAL RESOURCES

Have you dreamed of being your own boss for many years, but don't know where to start? Do you ask questions like "How do I turn my good idea into a successful business?" "What kind of forms and licenses do I need?" "Where can I find financing?" "Where is the best place to open my business?" "What is a business plan and how do I prepare one?"

The SBDCs Can Help You Turn Your Dream into a Successful Business
For over twenty years, the Gannon Small Business Development Center has provided consulting and training designed to teach prospective and new entrepreneurs the basics of starting and successfully operating their own businesses.

SBDC Clients Succeed
The best way to prevent business failure is to plan your business properly from the start. The SBDCs have the knowledge and experience you need to make your dream work. In 2002, 2,728 new businesses were started in Pennsylvania with assistance from the SBDCs. Studies have shown that three-quarters of SBDC assisted firms are still in business 8 years after their start-up date. Businesses started with SBDC assistance survive longer and grow faster than the average firm.

The First Step
The Gannon SBDC offers First Step workshops to help entrepreneurs start their own business. These workshops assist entrepreneurs in starting down the path to successful business ownership-evaluating business ideas, developing a business plan, and exploring financing options. All First Step workshops are cosponsored by the Veterans Corporation. (link to domain: www.veteranscorp.org )

The first step to starting a successful new venture is to attend an SBDC "First Step" workshop where you will learn:

• What unique lifestyle requirements are involved in owning a business
• How to assess the feasibility of your business idea
• Differences between business organization structures
• How to develop a business plan
• How to obtain financing
• How to market your product or service
• The applications and licenses needed to start your company
• How to conduct research on your industry, market and competition
• Regulations governing a business
• Environmental regulation compliance
• Other resources that you can use to help you plan, to help you succeed

The Next Step
The next step to growing your new business is to take advantage of the SBDCs' one-on-one consulting and information services. After completing a starting a business workshop, you will be able to meet confidentially with an SBDC consultant at no cost. Your consultant can help you with all of the issues you learned about in your start-up workshop, tailored to your business idea and needs in mind.

Looking for more information? This site is an excellent resource for information on starting a business in Pennsylvania:

http://www.paopen4business.state.pa.us/